Glow of the Teriques
by Hikaru Irving
Summary: AU Xover When Senel is rejected by Nerifes, the group decides to leave him behind and face the Merines on their own. However, one night a stranger comes upon the shore of the Quiet Lands, with one goal in mind: to give Senel Coolidge the power he seeks.
1. Prologue

Hikaru: First Legendia fanfic, AU, starting in Chapter Six when Nerifes rejected Senel. Crossover with three other games, which I won't state now. Thou shall have to guess!

Moses: Author lady here don't own nothing.

Jay: My, as eloquent as ever . . .

Moses: . . .

--

He was utterly alone here. Not even the Oresoren were here anymore. Norma had said before that this sea was quiet, gentle, even like a lullaby. Not so anymore. Quiet the sea was, but Senel couldn't care less about it. He sat on the shore, tossing small stones into the sea beyond. Not with anger, not even with sadness. He simply picked up a stone and tossed it.

Why . . .?

Why did all of this happen?

He lost Stella. Then he lost Shirley to the "holy" being of the Ferines: the Merines.

Supposedly it was the will of the Ferines as a people to bring back their Merines to bring forth another cataclysm utilizing the Wings of Light device that had caused the previous one.

If that were true, who among the Ferines knew what awakening the Merines entailed? Fenimore couldn't have known. She vehemently hated all Orerines before, but eventually warmed up to at least Senel's group. She couldn't have wished to wipe out all humanity.

And of course Senel knew that the real Shirley would never wish that fate on anyone, Orerines or Ferines.

Well then, what about Stella? Did she know? She, in tune with the Legacy, called forth to all Ferines that the Merines was among them. She had brought Senel and Shirley to the Legacy, to the other Ferines.

Did that mean . . .? Did Stella wish for the second cataclysm as well?

Senel drew his knees up to his chest, leaning his forehead against them. He clenched his eyes shut tightly.

No! There was no way that Stella would want such a thing!

. . .Or so Senel kept telling himself.

At least Shirley was alive. The dead can't speak.

But if Shirley was trapped within her own body, overwhelmed by the will of Nerifes, then how could Senel speak with her?

He threw another stone into the ocean.

Night was coming over the Quiet Lands . . . if such a thing as day and night really existed here.

Without bothering to get up to the rug, Senel fell back onto the sand, looking up at the artificial sky. Stars appeared gradually as it steadily grew dark.

"Are you depressed? Pathetic."

Startled, Senel leapt to his feet, looking wildly around. That voice . . . didn't sound like any voice he knew.

"Who are you?" he shouted to the darkness. "Show yourself!" His fingertips began to glow azure as he prepared his eres.

The voice came again, more calmly this time. Not angry as it sounded before.

"I see no need to show myself if you're going to threaten me."

"How do I know you're not going to threaten me?" Senel retorted, unmoved.

"Would I come to the one rejected by both Nerifes if I were going to kill him?"

Silence.

Senel lowered his fists, head hung low.

"Will you show yourself now?"

A light flashed briefly, and Senel could've sworn he saw something sparkle in the direction of the plains.

A tall man clad in intricate clothing approached, a sword belted to his side. At this Senel was alarmed, but forced himself not to take action. The man did say he wouldn't hurt Senel . . .

"Who are you?" Senel asked, eyes hard.

"That's not important," the man snapped, arms folded across his chest. "The important things are: you were rejected by Nerifes, and yet you wish to prevent another cataclysm from happening to this world."

To this world . . .? What did he mean by that? He spoke as if he didn't really care about . . . this world, but rather one of its inhabitants—the one rejected by Nerifes.

"And?"

"I know of a way for you to gain the necessary power for your purpose, without having to submit to either Nerifes."

There was a small pause before Senel broke it.

"Submitting to either Nerifes is a bad thing?"

"No. But since your enemy—" Senel cringed—"uses the power of Nerifes, this way would undoubted be easier on you."

Senel didn't want to agree with this stranger. It sounded way too good to be true, and he said as much. The stranger only laughed quietly at him.

"You're dying of thirst, and when someone offers you water, you ask where it came from."

Before Senel could get any more words out of his mouth, the stranger approached, grabbed his hand, and put something on its back. Senel tried to wrench it out of the man's grip, but to no avail.

"What are you doing!?"

Finally the man released his hand.

On the back of Senel's hand rested a curious golden metal, set with a blood-red gem. The patterns engraved in the metal seemed to read something, but Senel didn't know the tongue. Apparently this jewel had power, and he felt different now that it was on him.

Senel glanced up at the stranger, mouth dry, throat tight.

"You sought to know the 'truth,' but you still know nothing of what you should. The next time we meet, I will grant you the power you seek."

Another flash of light, and the man was gone.

Senel fell to his knees in the sand, shaking. He felt totally drained of energy. It didn't feel nearly this bad when Shirley—no, the Merines—stripped all humankind of their eres. A wave of nausea washed over him, and he curled up on the soft sand of the beach, closed his eyes, and slept.


	2. Test of the Hymnist

Hikaru: Taking a break from my poetry project (due Thursday!) to type the second chapter of Glow of the Teriques. By the way, I might throw in references from other games, but not necessarily the characters, savvy?

--

He dreamed.

_He walked a vast, endless ocean of shining blue, what looked like airborne energy streams following him as he walked, seeking. What did he seek? He knew not. He turned, looking, but the energy streams clouded his sight. Finally, beyond the horizon, he saw a gleaming white tower that reached up unto the starry heavens. Up into the nighttime sky he looked, and saw not only a sea of stars, but moons. _

_Not a moon. _

_He counted seven moons in all, of all colors—White, black, red, green, blue, purple, and yellow. Although those satellites rested in the heavens, he felt their immense powers even here, on the ocean so far below. _

_The once calm ocean, smooth as glass, turned an inky black, restless waves broke the calm surface, and whole continents thrust up out of the sea. Buildings appeared on the land, smooth like the Ruins of Frozen Light, each bearing the colors of their respective moon above. Towers rose in the centers of the continents, not as high as the first tower he saw, but still magnificent in their own right. _

_From the continent beneath the glittering white moon, he saw people. Crowned with golden blond hair, blue or green eyes, and dressed in white, gold, and silver of curious intricate designs, they were easily the most beautiful people he ever saw. They glowed silvery white as they approached him on the ocean, and he realized that glow didn't come from their bodies, but from the ethereal wings flowering from their backs. No, not wings._

_Teriques._

_Of the people that approached, a man went farther than others, opening his mouth as if to speak—_

_From the sea emerged the people he knew best, bearing teriques of all colors, and also bearing something he had never seen them with. Hatred burned in their eyes._

_The people of the white moon the people of the sea exterminated, one by one their bodies falling into the black ocean, the treacherous waves engulfing them. _

_One of the Ferines, a woman, turned to him, the hate burning strongly._

Senel gasped as he abruptly woke, then coughed as sand got into his mouth. The soft glow of morning light spilled across the beach, and he sat up, feeling a little dizzy. Lately he'd been having strange dreams, that one most strange of all. Too bad he couldn't quite recall what it had been—what, a tower? And a moon . . .?

He shook his head. Never mind that now. He brought up a hand to run through his hair, but stopped. The metal glimmered ominously at him in the morning sunlight. The jewel seemed a bead of blood. So that at least hadn't been a dream.

That stranger left without giving Senel any explanations, his name least of all. The only thing he left Senel was this strange . . . crest, and his cryptic words.

"_The next time we meet, I will grant you the power you seek."_

What "power" would that be, then? Not the power of Nerifes, the stranger said so himself . . . Senel shook his head. Worrying about it did no good. He would simply ask that man the next time he saw him.

First order of things . . .

Although everyone (Oresoren included) went back to the surface without Senel, the Oresoren had left everything they used to make camp for Senel to use. He still felt at least slightly bitter about everyone up and leaving him like they did, but then again, he would do the same thing if he were in their place. What good was someone who couldn't fight?

Senel grabbed the net that was among the materials the Oresoren left, wading out into the sea. It was so calm he met virtually no resistance as he cast out the net where he knew certain creatures roamed, placing the weights carefully underwater so they wouldn't stray. Once the net was sufficiently placed, Senel returned to the beach, placing driftwood on the fire pit.

What to do in the meantime? As soon as he felt his stiff shoulders from sleeping in such an uncomfortable state, Senel knew exactly what to do in the meantime. He climbed over the sandy, grassy hills of the beach, collecting certain herbs. Herb lore he learned from the doctors and apothecaries in Vaclav's army. Since there would certainly be no time to hail a military medic in the middle of battle, each and every soldier with potential to survive the rages of battle had to learn these things. Most of the herbs around the beach had not only flavoring purposes for cooking, but also certain medicinal qualities. The herbs Senel gathered now would help with his stiff shoulders.

Rather conveniently there was a hot spring nearby, either built by the Oresoren, came into existence naturally, or built by the Oresoren legendary hero. However it came around, it was there, so Senel intended to put it to good use. Once he had gathered enough herbs for his purpose, he went right to the spring. By the shore it was cool, if not downright cold, but for some oddity of reason the spring, so close to shore, was hot. Senel suspected a source of eres stones that produce heat were buried beneath the spring.

Senel soaked in the spring for a time. While he did, his thoughts kept dwelling to his comrades, to Shirley, to Stella, and finally back to that stranger. He had tried to take off the thing placed on his hand, but no matter how Senel pulled and pried, the damned thing remained stubbornly on his hand. Evidently there was some trick to it.

The herbs that he had boiled beforehand and put in the spring water were doing their job—Senel's stiffness in the shoulders, arms, and legs vanished, as the hot water acted as an aid. The spring was not deep, and it was clear. Soft sand Senel felt between his toes, along with sea plants swaying calmly. Scallop shells stuck out of the little sand dunes beneath the water's surface of all colors. Abruptly Senel felt slightly ill as he thought of the scallop gels he had to swallow during some difficult fights when apple and lemon gels were scarce.

After his little soak in the spring, Senel got back to the ocean to draw in his catch—many a fish, some shrimp, and of course, the famous scallop. All of these he made into a soup, using some of the herbs he picked for seasonings and boiled the ingredients in the metal stewpot over the fire. The sun climbed a little higher, sunlight spilling across the beach.

A soft voice floated over him.

"_Toue Rei Zue Kuroa Ryuo Toue Zue . . ."_

A woman's voice, his mind numbly registered, nodding off as he stirred his breakfast. He'd felt wide awake before. Why was he falling asleep now? Wait . . . he was supposed to be alone here. Why would a woman be here in the Quiet Lands? She could sing other places . . . Senel briefly thought of Grune, who liked singing softly to herself in such a manner.

Shadows played across his eyes, or was that merely the firelight playing tricks on him? He rubbed at his tired eyes, tried keeping them open.

Senel had to stay awake. Something somehow didn't seem quite right . . . He dipped a hand in the boiling contents of the stewpot. The pain jolted him awake; he was suddenly alert.

"_Toue Rei Zue Kuroa Ryuo Toue Zue . . ."_

His eyes drooped, but he clenched his fists, said appendages glowing blue. His mind fogged, images flashing in his mind's eye—people, wings, towers, and an ocean.

Vaguely he knew the direction from which the singing voice had come. Whatever that voice was, it was putting him asleep, and he could not afford to fall asleep and therefore victim and vulnerable. Power flooded through him.

"Demon Fist!"

The shockwave hit the sandy dunes of where beach met meadow, and a startled cry betrayed the singer. Senel snapped awake; he stood, and saw clearly.

"Show yourself!"

How many strangers planned on visiting him lately?

A woman with sweeping long hair clad in a brown dress decorated with gold embroidery stepped into Senel's field of vision, staff in hand.

They spared no words.

Senel charged, leaping into the air for a Talon Strike. The woman jumped back, and Senel landed on sand. She threw knives, mere silver winks of light as they flew. Senel had no time to dodge.

"Guardian!"

The green field deflected the deadly blades.

The woman drew in breath.

"_Va Neu Va Rei Va Neu Va Zue Rei . . ."_

Pillars of light blazing with flame rained upon the beach, scorching all it touched. Senel dodged the best he knew how, scuffing up clouds of sand and dust. Too late he noticed a final pillar heading right where he moved. No time to dodge or even use Guardian.

Senel took the hit. Fire seared through him, burning him alive. When it subsided, he wasn't burned at all, at least not on the outside.

Only one conclusion came to Senel's numbed mind.

_She's a crystal eren._

As Senel lay stunned, the woman sang another melody. He couldn't move.

"_Toue Rei Zue Kuroa Ryuo Toue Zue . . ."_

He couldn't fight it. But he had to. He wasn't about to just lie down and die. Straining, he stood, fumbled for a gel. Gulping it down, he felt slightly better.

"_Kuroa Ryuo Kuroa Neu Toue Rei Kuroa Ryuo Zue Rei Va . . ."_

Light slashed through the earth underfoot in the shape of a cross. Almost absent-mindedly Senel backed off it as it released a tremendous amount of energy. How to counter someone who used her voice as a weapon?

Senel had to stop her from singing. He cursed, wishing Norma were around to cast Silence.

How could a lone crystal eren be so strong?

Senel charged.

Instead of singing, the woman threw more knives and a red hammer. The knives he darted through, but the little hammer hit home.

He was dazed.

Her voice swallowed him.

"_Rei Va Neu Kuroa Toue Rei Rei . . ."_

Pain seared through him. Not like he was ablaze, on fire, but only that, sheer pain in every available nerve shot through him. Mind shattering screams ripped from his throat. The hand where the crest rested burned, sending a new wave of power awash over Senel. Senel slowly gained his bearings, saw the woman standing, poised to strike, a handful of knives at the ready.

Senel charged.

"Phantom Dragon Dance!"

She managed to dodge many of the kicks, but the last one she had to block with her staff. Caught in a deadlock, she still found her singing voice.

"_Kuroa Ryuo Zue Toue Ryuo Neu Ryuo Zue . . ."_

Senel braced for pain, but none came. She broke the lock, threw him off her. Something in that song had given her the confidence to attack head on. She was close, up in Senel's face, and although he attacked with all his might, she didn't seem hurt in any way. How many songs did she have, and what did they do?

"Wyrm Rush!"

Finally the attack hit home. She was injured, but still had strength enough to stab his leg with a hidden knife. Senel staggered back, yanked the blade out. Blood gushed out of the open wound. Quickly Senel grabbed a spare cloth from his item bag, pressed it against the wound. Almost immediately the flow of blood stemmed, clotted. Strange . . . should wounds clot so fast? Senel shrugged it off, swallowed a lemon gel. He felt despair as his enemy sang.

"_Va Rei Zue Toue Neu Toue Ryuo Toue Kuroa . . ."_

Once again it benefited her, healing her wounds. Senel stood, grim. He would not lose!

"Swallow Dance!"

He broke her guard, forced her back. Senel charged in with another Wyrm Rush, then a Phantom Dragon Dance.

She hit the ground.

Finally Senel gathered her up in his arms, intending to throw her down.

She spoke for the first time since their meeting.

"Stop! I surrender!"

Instead of throwing her, he dropped her on the beach. They both were injured. She stood, holding her staff close.

"_Ryuo Rei Kuroa Ryuo Zue Rei Va Zue Rei . . ."_

Senel expected intense pain or another attack of elemental rain. Instead, a warm light washed over him, healing his wounds. The same effect held true for the woman.

Senel stared.

"Who are you?"

"Mystearica, Tear for short." She took time to regain her breath.

"I presume you are Senel Coolidge?"

He nodded, still not quite trusting.

"Why did you attack me? How do you know me?"

Her reply was curt, to the point.

"Kratos told me about you. You are the one rejected by Nerifes."

--

Hikaru: CLIFFHANGER! Okay, maybe not. But still! Instead of working on my poetry project and math homework, I give you this! Thou shalt be grateful for thy good fortune. Please review!

PS—It might not make much sense now, putting in characters from the crossed over games, but I promise everything will tie together in the end! . . . I hope?


	3. Hopeless Struggle

Hikaru: Nyah. :D

--

_Sweet mother of Martel, _Norma almost idly noted as she struggled to stand, _Wally wasn't kidding when he said Nerifes favored them! _

The group minus Senel had left the Quiet Lands for the Mirage Palace ASAP, the morning after the Quiet Nerifes had bestowed the majority of the party with sacred eres. The Oresoren, along with Jay, had rediscovered the Path of Light or whatever it was called from old Oresoren legend that their legendary hero used in the very distant past. Turns out it was a high-tech tram, and the party intended to make very good use of it. Since the Mirage Palace was supposedly impossible to get to, using this tram was the only way of infiltrating, and of course the Ferines would know all about it.

The Mirage Palace wasn't just an impossible place to get to. It was a labyrinth. They had gotten lost so many times Norma got dizzy thinking about it. Moses claimed to have a bird's sense of direction, but despite his Forest of No Return guru-ness, he was hopeless at guiding in the Mirage Palace. Jay naturally used this as an excuse to make jabs at the beast tamer.

Eventually Will had gotten everyone far enough to the puzzle booth, and after countless redos and wistful wishing that ol' puzzle guru Senel were there, Jay sighed and cleared the puzzle as if it were nothing. When Norma asked JJ how he knows so much about the booths, he launched into a lengthy and detailed explanation of how ducts work, what puzzle booths actually were, what each path in the booth represented and how solving the puzzle was the process of somehow recoordinating the flow of power in the duct, and the whole kabam with the Sorcerer's Ring.

Jeez, that's too much for even a crystal eren to listen to! With the exception of Will . . .

Norma saw stars as Wally threw another punch at Chloe, forcing her into Will and interrupting his crystal eres. Jay had leapt to avoid the collision, and Moses had missed the speedy Radiant with a spear throw gone wrong.

The haze cleared, Norma could see clear as day. Will hunched over, exhausted from using too many crystal eres. A surge of guilt washed over Norma. While she stood dazed, Will, already injured, had taken the time to heal her. She retreated to a safe distance and began to recite an incantation, gathering the power awash about her.

"Furious maiden of ice and snow, born on the streams of the storm, rain down!"

As she finished the incantation, Will opened his mouth as if to yell something at her, but stopped to block an attack from Walter with his hammer. Chloe thrust with her blade, only to be deflected by a shield of Walter's teriques.

Norma's Blizzard spell engulfed the battlefield, but little did it affect Walter. Will swallowed a gel and yelled, "Norma! Ice won't do much good against a Ferines!"

Norma mentally cursed. That's right. The equation popped in her mind's eye: Ferines equals people of the water; Ice equals water in altered state; therefore, ice has little to no effect on Ferines.

Norma wanted to scream her question: what element would work against Wally?! Jay ducked Walter's high kick and his dagger glowed a dark purple.

"Shadow Reaper!"

Walter staggered, his teriques drooping a little. Norma smirked.

_Gotcha, Wally . . ._

Her Dark Force crystal eres stunned Walter long enough for Will to heal, Jay and Moses to get in some extra damage, Grune to come to, and Chloe to sneak in a Phantom Blade. Walter was knocked to the ground, but leapt up on his feet in no time.

Norma bit her lower lip, grasping her straw tightly. Even with everyone doing their very best, Walter still shrugged them off as if it were nothing. What if Senel were here, even if he can't use eres? Maybe his brute strength alone would be support enough so the rest of the party could gain their bearings . . .

She concentrated on another Dark Force, when all eres energy dwindled, draining her spell of power. She blinked twice over, and the other crystal erens noticed the drop.

"What's going on?"

Floating above them, Walter Delques laughed. Norma gasped.

"He's hoarding all the energy for himself! Selfish bastard!"

"You foolish Orerines have no idea what you've been using so thoughtlessly all this time! The power of Nerifes bends to aid those who advocate Her true will!"

Hmm . . . this was bad. The Mirage Palace floated over an inland sea, saturated in water and therefore plenty of magical energy to supply to water-based crystal eres. And since Wally was a Radiant, his channeling the power of Nerifes and using it would surely surpass all crystal erens of Orerines birth.

Norma fell to her knees.

"Oh crap . . ."

--

Senel had the upper hand, that much was certain. Although Tear had put up one hell of a fight for a lone crystal eren, surely by now she was drained of energy to cast anything more, and that gel Senel swallowed earlier was starting to kick in. Senel wouldn't hurt her any more since she did in fact surrender, but nor would he allow her to leave until she explained her motives for being in the Quiet Lands, a place supposedly long forgotten among human ken and only sung of in Oresoren and Ferines legend.

They talked it over as they ate their breakfast of seafood stew.

"So, Tear of the Knives," Senel grinned at the nickname and Tear's I-am-so-not-amused reaction, "how did you come by the Quiet Lands? And who's Kratos?"

She swallowed a spoonful of the chowder, smiling her approval of Senel's cooking.

"I know no more about Kratos than you do. Only that he is a master swordsman and that I am aiding him."

Senel eyed the crystal eren supiciously.

"Aiding him . . .?"

"He is not your enemy, and nor am I."

Senel furrowed his brow, annoyed.

"If you aren't my enemy, why did you attack me?"

She answered calmly.

"I will not ally myself with those who would prove only a needless burden."

Senel's first impulse was to snap back at her, but quickly overcame it. At least this much he learned from Will and the others: impulse must not overrule judgment. He ate a little more, and silence pervaded for a time. Tear was strong, there was no denying that. It would only make sense that she would want strong allies.

"Did you opt to test Kratos in such a way?" he asked casually.

Tear shook her head, no.

"I have seen it."

Senel stared into the contents of his ceramic bowl, a gift from the Oresoren. Everything the Oresoren had was of good make, even though instead of hands they had small paws. Unbid came the image of the Gemini shells Quppo and Poppo gave him and Shirley. Even now did his comrades face the Merines? How did they fare? Were they even still alive?

He stood, heading to the nearby fresh water stream to wash off his bowl and spoon. What was he going to do now? Despite the motives of Kratos and Tear, Senel did have a choice as to whether or not he would cooperate. Of course he wanted to help the others to stop Shirley from this genocidal madness, but without power he could do nothing . . . or mayhap he could. Even if he couldn't fight, he still should have gone with the others to speak with Shirley, right?

Kneeling at the stream, drawing the water from a bucket in which to wash his dishes, Senel shook his head. Nothing would help that now. He had made his choice, or perhaps the choice made for him. Kratos did promise him the power to face the Merines, and Tear would help, or at least Senel had guessed from her words.

Soft footfalls sounded on the grass behind him. Tear knelt beside him, washing her empty dishes.

"Kratos sent me to give you a message."

Ceramic dishes clinked against one another gently.

"Oh?" Senel asked, slightly distracted.

"He awaits you at the Earth Monument. It is the first test he will give you."

Test? Would Kratos fight Senel, as Tear had? Fighting Tear had been hard enough by himself, but was he expected to fight a master swordsman as well? Tear spoke.

"I will aid you. You cannot use healing arts."

"But there aren't any real obstacles in the Earth Monument." Senel replied, a bit curious. Well, save the gaet in the deepest part of the monument.

Tear's next words were spoken darkly.

"It'll be harder than it sounds."

Senel stood, shrugging as he took his now clean dishes back to camp.

"I'm doing this for Shirley. We leave at midday."

--

Jay knew the moment Walter began gathering magical energy, they were goners. Of course he put up a show of trying to prevent him from casting, just like the others (except for Norma, who seemed to too tired to even stand). Moses had an almost obscene amount of unfounded optimism, and kept throwing spear after spear after spear, each one deflected quite easily by Walter's black teriques. Will swallowed a pineapple gel, an item they were running low on, just like lemon gels. But the energy kept dwindling. Grune was staring into space, not comprehending the fact she was drained of eres. Chloe leapt into the air at Walter with a Tiger Blade, but instead of just bouncing off, she braved a deadlock with Walter's teriques.

She must've guessed that Walter was conjuring up a water crystal eres, and didn't want to drown. Unlike that one time at the Waterways.

Jay leapt into the air, throwing his dagger. Upon contact with Walter's teriques shield, it exploded. Jay smiled. It worked. Feeding his dagger with energy opposing that of the teriques, the shield broke. Chloe charged, Excalibur raised.

By then it was far too late.

"Thy power floweth purely, unwavering. Accept these souls into thine embrace; let all hear thy marvelous voice!"

"Everybody defend!" Jay screamed although he knew its uselessness.

Chloe stopped dead in her tracks.

Jay grabbed her arm, pulling her away from Walter. In case of events like this, Jay had instructed everyone thusly: that all the crystal erens form a circle around the iron erens, and form a huge defense eres to deflect enemy attack, much an imitation of a shield teriques.

The circle was formed, and the crystal erens ready.

Walter finished off the spell.

"Tidal Wave!"

"Now!"

Jay would never forget in the final seconds of his life what Will said to him:

"There's no energy left for the barrier."

--

Hikaru: REAL CLIFFHANGER THIS TIME :P By the way, I protray Nerfies as a female entity because people tend to view the ocean as a female, and the Merines (or at least Shirley and previous one) are female.


	4. A Vague Idea

Hikaru: . . . MUWAHAHHAHAHAHHAHA! THEY'RE ALL DEAD! DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!!

Audience: . . .tear

Hikaru: Ahahah . . . hahah . . . ha . . . ha . . .

Audience: . . .

Hikaru: Okay, fine I'm not that evil . . .

--

Was there truly nothing she could do? She, a knight of the Holy Kingdom of Gadoria, of the noble House of Valens, could only stand here as she and her comrades, the last hopes of humanity, were utterly wiped out? The moment Walter had begun his spell, she had stopped in her tracks, sword hanging uselessly at her side, jaw unhinged, gaping like fresh yams from the dirt.

"Everybody defend!" Jay yelled, taking Chloe by the arm and pulling her back, away from Walter toward the others.

Chloe almost dropped her sword, and barely remembered to move so as not to place a burden on Jay. She couldn't really think of anything in particular, her thoughts kept racing--toward Stingle, her dead parents, all the contempt the other nobles had shown her in her childhood as she struggled, trying to perserve the proud Valens name. Mostly her mind wandered, until it finally hit something she could focus on in place of her horribly drowning.

Senel Coolidge.

She had never told him how she felt, although anyone with half a brain could clearly see it from a distance. She knew in her heart that the ones most important to Coolidge were Stella and Shirley. Now that Stella no longer lived, undoubtedly his attention would be diverted to Shirley . . .

"There's not enough energy left for the barrier."

Will's grave voice snapped Chloe out of her thoughts.

Already Chloe could hear the roar of the ocean, or was that only her imagination?

No, she now saw it clearly. From the deep reservoirs of oceanwater in the Mirage Palace, Walter drew in the power, the water, the will of the ocean itself, and it collected by him into looming waves crested with white, shining deep blue. It was cold, and the excessively salty smell stung Chloe's nose.

They were finished. There was no place to be carried by the water, and all Ferines could breathe underwater, so to them it mattered little if it were flooded or dry.

"Quiet Nerifes . . ." Chloe muttered.

Ice cold water crashed into them.

--

Getting into the Earth Monument was easy enough. It was getting through the security devices that was going through hell and back. When they were sent to the beginning of the pathway for the umpteenth time, Senel sighed and simply fell down eagle-sprawled.

"Is this one of Kratos' tests?"

Tear sighed.

"No. But we still need to get through."

Thusly the problem was solved: Senel simply leapt over the red panels.

In the first antechamber, Senel stopped to rest, and Tear followed suit. She began to unpack the contents of her item bag, and not only medicinal items were there, but food as well. Senel quirked a brow.

"You don't bake bread?"

"No, not really." She unwrapped the fresh green leaves off the food she intended to serve, which turned out to be . . . rice balls.

As they munched on their lunch, Senel's mind wandered. The Earth Monument was quite a peaceful place, just like Norma and Grune had said before. The only reason he didn't want to take the time to stop and relax back then was because he was anxious to learn what the Quiet Nerifes had to tell them . . . not that it amounted to anything in the end, at least to Senel. Will had said before that this building was purposely made to maintain a temperate climate and thus create this kind of atmosphere. If that's so, then the other monuments must've been made specifically for their individual climates, although the reason as to what the monuments were used for and why remained quite a mystery.

Most curiously of all, what were those cylindrical tanks filled with liquid for . . .?

Senel blinked.

Tear remained silent. She wasn't speaking, or even making any kind of vocalization whatsoever.

". . . Do you hear that?"

She stopped to listen for a moment.

"It's hard to make out, but yes."

It sounded like singing. The song was different, but it reminded Senel of Tear's hymns, and when he took deep breaths and relaxed his body, it seemed to sooth his very soul. Whoever sang it had a very beautiful voice . . .

His head throbbed.

"Ow . . ." Senel put a hand to his temple, brow furrowed as a wave of dizziness swept him over.

"Are you all right?" Tear gently asked.

Another painful throb. It was difficult to make sense of where he sat; his head spun. It was simliar to when the Quiet Nerifes first contacted him, yet this was somehow different . . .

It felt like . . .

--

Chloe coughed up seawater. Cold, soaked to the marrow, her lungs choked with salt water . . . but alive. She coughed a bit more, pushing herself upright. She was not awash in a torrent of sea water (unlike that time at the Waterways . . .), but alive, on dry land nonetheless. She sat up, gaining her bearings.

She was in a cell.

Wonderful.

"Raynard?" Chloe called tentatively into the darkness reaching beyond. She sneezed. Damn, it was cold down here.

No one answered.

"Sandor? Norma? Grune? Jay? Anyone?"

The dark remained silent.

Chloe shivered. Her armor was gone, her accessories gone, and her sword as well. Strong as she was, it did her no good unless she held a weapon.

Her cell was circular, rather alike, if not identical, to the ones the Ferines were jailed in at Vaclav's hidden fortress. But she knew they were still at the Mirage Palace. What kind of castle didn't have a dungeon to house its prisoners? At that thought Chloe froze. Prisoners. Why hadn't Walter simply killed them? That last spell should have . . . yet here she was, alive. And she couldn't even swim, and had equipped heavy weapons and armor, no less. Walter would never hesitate at a chance to kill a band of Orerines. Chloe drew her knees to her chest, shivering for warmth.

Why hadn't Walter killed them . . .?

Someone coughed heavily nearby. It was a man's voice. Chloe's hopes soared.

"Raynard?"

More coughing.

"Chloe, is that you?"

Chloe smiled. It _was _Will.

"Yes. How are you?"

"I've been better. You?"

"I'll live. I'm a knight, remember?"

Silence pervaded for a time. In that little amount of time, Chloe realized that Will's cell was probably beside her own. _Just as Shirley's cell was next to Fenimore's . . . _Chloe thought, recalling the story as told by Shirley. Abruptly she shuddered with fright. She hoped to high heaven and deep sea that there weren't any instruments of torture in the dungeon here . . .

"--ead."

Chloe flushed. Will had spoken, and yet she paid no attention.

"I'm sorry?"

"We should be dead."

Well, that much had already been established when Chloe gained consciousness. She sneezed again.

"Raynard, what should we do? How do we get out of here?"

Shirley could be activating the Wings of Light even as they spoke. Will must've guessed the same.

"I was awake during the whole ordeal. You fell unconscious."

Chloe found herself blushing again. Faced with drowning by a giant tidal wave, who wouldn't pass out? Will continued.

"As did Norma, Moses, Grune, and Giet."

Chloe blinked.

"Giet was with us?"

She could imagine Will shrugging.

"Well, he was there after the wave hit."

"Ah! Never mind that now," Chloe's voice came out louder than she intended. This time, she spoke more softly. "Do have any idea how to get out? And how're we still alive?"

"I have a vague idea why we were spared," Will said this slowly, as if he were still uncertain about this simple assumption.

Chloe couldn't believe what Will said next.

Impossible!

--

In the room with the yellow cylindrical tanks, the song was louder, but still quite faint. There were also quite a bit of monsters. Senel and Tear were in fact fighting a monster just then, a large horse, big and muscular enough to be a draft horse. The thing was, its eyes were rather menacing, and Senel couldn't help but notice . . . the horse had huge fangs. Fangs!

Senel dodged a charge by the horse, so dubbed "night mare," and called to Tear nearby:

"Why does that horse have fangs?"

Her reply was relatively calm, although it sound a bit confused, like he.

"It's obviously carnivorous,"

"A carnivorous horse? What's the world coming to?"

The horse neighed, rearing up on its hind legs. Stomping down, it created a shockwave. Senel leapt at it to avoid the shockwave; Tear wasn't so lucky.

Senel landed briefly before jumping into the air once more.

"Pheonix Strike!"

Once he got onto the horse, he grabbed at its huge neck, hanging on for dear life. The horse tried to throw him off to no avail, not to say it was easy for poor Senel to hang on at all. Senel began to think he would distract the monster this way so Tear would have time to heal herself and cast another spell, until the horse started to ram its back into a wall.

Senel jumped off the horse. To stay on would've been suicide.

There was but one thing left to do. Senel charged at the monster.

"Whirlwind Talon Blast!"

As Senel launched a barrage of kicks, he thought his legs would break; this monster's hide was tough!

Tear began to cast a spell.

"Thou who wouldst take revenge, carve here thy holy seal!"

One, two, three more kicks and Senel would finish his assault . . .

"Eclair de Larmes!"

A cross of light drew itself beneath the horse; exploding with tremendous energy. The horse neighed almost pitiably, until Senel recalled that this horse happened to fancy flesh. Once the horse was down, Senel knelt, to pick it up to throw back down. Unfortunately, it was way too heavy. So Senel instead aimed a decisive kick to the shoulder of the horse, thus not only breaking the shoulder blade but also dislocating the joint. The monster screamed in pain, snapped at Senel. He staggered back; the animal had only just missed him.

"Tear, finish it off!"

"Right."

The casting began.

"O divine spear, run mine enemy through!"

The horse struggled and despite its injured leg got to its feet. It neighed angrily, and Senel backed off, prepared to defend.

"Holy Lance!"

A great spear of light flew straight through the horse. Gouts and spurts of blood flew everywhere. After one last scream, the horse fell, dying or already dead.

Senel heaved a sigh, panting heavily. Tear concentrated.

"O purest water of life . . .Meditation!"

Instantly Senel felt renewed. After thanking Tear, the duo went on ahead. According to Tear, Kratos would be waiting in the deepest part of the monument, which they were fast approaching. As they climbed up the staircases, the song Senel had heard before grew louder.

_"Iyeyuyi . . . Nobomenu . . . Renmiri . . . Yojuyogo . . . Hasatakenae . . . Kutamae . . ."_


	5. A Simple Act of Kindness

Hikaru: Chapter five, desu no!

--

For the longest time, what felt like an eternity, Senel sat, hugging his knees to his chest, eyes squeezed tightly shut. If he opened his eyes, if he dared look what was before him, it would be out of his grasp like it always had, never his, and never will be.

The name slowly crept out his throat, barely audible over the beautiful singing.

"Stella . . ."

"Is that her name?" Tear asked, standing at the top of the stairs. Kratos stood at her side, arms folded, silent.

When? When was Senel ever going to be free of these hauntings of the woman he could never save? The woman he'd betrayed twice over? Was he doomed forever to find reminders of his past mistakes, his past flaws?

"She's dead . . ." his voice was hoarse, barely audible.

Here Kratos spoke.

"She is not dead. Here she is before you, not alive, but not dead."

Senel looked up. Kratos indeed was right. It looked as if Stella had been transformed into a ghost. She stood, appearing like a real person, but not solidly; Senel could see right through her. And she floated over that glowing glass dome that wasn't here the last time Senel had visited the Earth Monument. Inside the glass dome built into the ground, there was a statue of an angel with six glowing wings, and the woman with the wings looked just like Stella, even if the statue depicted her without showing her face.

Stella stared at Senel, not with a sad expression. No, she looked . . . happy.

"How could you be?" Senel whispered. How could she be happy to see him when he practically killed her twice over?

Tear didn't move.

"How is she singing?"

Beside her, Kratos spoke.

"Her consciousness, her soul, is preserved here."

Tear nodded. She understood now. A free soul is capable of doing any number of things a soul confined in a mortal body could not.

Senel lifted himself off the floor, fists clenched, angry.

"I don't understand. What is going on? The last time I saw her," Senel pointed to the glass dome with Stella's ghost, "she was dead! I held her when she died!"

The teenager was met with an annoyed glare from Kratos. Senel held his ground defiantly.

"Do intend to have me explain everything? If you want to do something about it, use your own head."

Abruptly Senel recalled something Will said once, not long after he'd first come to the Legacy.

"_In order to do anything in this world, one must understand it."_

What about this phenomenon must Senel understand? First, he had to figure out what he didn't understand. What he didn't understand right now is how Stella could be here--Kratos had said her soul was preserved here. But how was that accomplished?

They stood in the Earth Monument. Before, Senel thought of the Quiet Lands and the Monuments as nothing but objects on a plane in this particular space beneath the Legacy.

Will's voice echoed in Senel's head.

_"Could it be that this place is deliberately creating a moderate climate?"_

The other Monuments did that as well. Fire, Ice, Thunder . . . and Earth. The monsters inside had taken on certain characteristics as if they really did live in that climate. The gaets also appeared here, too.

Senel spoke slowly.

"This place . . . the Quiet Lands . . ." he looked at Kratos, "is this a resevoir of power in the Legacy?"

Kratos' lips moved upwards in what was supposed to be a smile.

"You could call it that. Now tell me, what's the elevator for?"

Senel knew that Kratos did not mean the dumb bell answer--it existed so people could go back and forth between the Quiet Lands and the Legacy on the surface.

"It connects the power to the Legacy . . . and allows for the Quiet Nerifes to transmit its will over great distances."

Kratos nodded.

Senel shook his head.

"I don't understand . . . I know you said that Stella's soul is perserved here . . . but why? Why?"

Kratos spoke softly.

"A simple act of kindness needs no reason to be."

At this, Senel's eyes widened.

_No . . ._

--

Okay, it was a good thing that they were spared, Chloe would admit, but not for such a foul reason! That Maurits was so despicable; he needed a good justice-abiding knight to straighten him out!

"So, we are only the bait to lure Senel here?"

Will's voice echoed throughout the dark dungeon.

"My thoughts exactly. Maurits did say to Walter that Senel was the reason the Merines is acting so hesitant over activating the Wings of Light."

"But the spell still should've killed us . . ." Chloe was cut off midsentence.

"Remember the Radiant have a greater control over their crystal eres than we humans do. Walter cut off the power from the eres. Without the massive surge of power channeled by Walter, the 'tidal wave' became nothing more than a single burst of oceanwater."

"Ah."

Inside, Chloe was fuming. Once Senel did come here, if he ever came here at all, no doubt that Maurits would exploit him in some way or even kill him to get Shirley to carry on with the second Cataclysm. Maurits was probably sending Senel a messenger to the Quiet Lands even as Chloe and the others bided in the dungeons.

She openly cursed.

"Dammit! We're powerless to stop them, or even to reach Coolidge!"

Here Will laughed.

Chloe froze, stunned. Why was Will laughing? This was no laughing matter indeed.

"We're not entirely powerless, Chloe."

"Excuse me?"

"The thing is . . . not all of us were thrown in here."

Not all of them . . .?

But who . . .?

--

"There's one missing."

The Merines sat quietly on her throne, her eyes blank and devoid of emotion. She didn't seem at all aware of her personal guardian and her village chief bickering with one another before her.

"Impossible! I had them all thrown in the dungeon!"

Walter shook his head vehemently.

"No, there is one of them missing! I fought with six of them! Then you came and when the water cleared up, there were only five!"

Maurits shrugged.

"Including the grand galf?"

Walter clenched his fists, his hair glowing a soft blue.

"No! That galf wasn't here! I fought with those disgusting Orerines!"

Maurits dismissed those concerns, and so the agrument went.

The missing one in question hid in the spires of the ceiling, in the shadows. Of course the Merines could spot the one right away; she could probably sense what beings were in her presence and worldwide, Orerines or Ferines, due to her synchronization with Nerifes.

Getting away from the immediate chaos following the dearth of the Tidal Wave spell proved difficult; it was a good thing Walter was distracted by Maurits. He'd had hell sneaking past the guards; it was like in that one entrance into the Ruins of Frozen Light. With so many guards around, one single mishap might've forced him to take them all out and have Maurits and Walter wonder why the entire guard force was wiped out. Well, with Giet around, it wouldn't be too difficult to believe that a grand galf had broken loose and taken out those guards. But then, galves, grand or no, didn't use weapons that stabbed and slashed . . .

He'd only stuck around to hear what those crafty Ferines have up their sleeves, only to hear them argue about what should seem like to them a minor detail.

Oh, well. Their intentions of imprisoning everybody else was obvious enough.

Maurits did indeed charge Walter with going to the Quiet Lands, or their Fallen Lands, to give Senel the message that they held his precious friends captive.

So what reason did he have to stay any longer? He must reach the Quiet Lands before Walter does . . . for Senel doesn't know that imprisoning the others was all just a sham, a trick to lure Senel to the Mirage Palace.

He must act quickly.

--

Hikaru: That's all for now . . . my sister graduated high school yesterday and we're having dinner in honor of that tonight . . . like soon. My sister and her boyfriend are supposed to be coming to take me and my other sister to the restaurant in question . . . cha. Please read and review!

P.S.--kudos to the user who politely and nicely _asked _me to update this story. On one of my other stories, someone had the nerve to leave me a review saying, "Update already! I'm tired of waiting!!" Soooo . . . if you're mean, I'll be mean. If you're nice, I'll be nice. Ja Ne!


	6. The First Test

Hikaru: Whoot! The revelation of Kratos' first test and the identity of the escapee!

--

By then Senel figured it out--Kratos' first test was not a test of physical strength, but a mental one. Whether or not Senel could come to terms with his past. Sighing, Senel walked up to the ghost of Stella. The singing filled the whole room.

"Stella . . . I'm sorry. I couldn't save you . . ."

He couldn't bear to look at her.

Stella spoke. Her voice echoed, ringed like the soft chime of bells.

_"Don't be. I'm just glad I got the chance to see you again."_

Senel looked up, surprised. Stella smiled. She had a beautiful smile.

"Stella . . ." Senel began. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Kratos gazing at him. "Stella, what do you truly want? You know what Shirley is . . ."

Stella nodded, her smile turning into a slight frown of sadness.

_"Shirley misinterpreted my words. She thinks that she must do what will make the other Ferines happy, not anyone else. I want to let her know that is not the right path."_

What was Stella saying? Not the right path? Senel couldn't help but wonder what was right anymore. From what the Quiet Nerifes showed them, it seemed as if the Ferines came from another world, but then that same ship became land. The Ferines had no need of land . . .

"Even given all the crimes my people comitted against yours?" It was hard to speak above a whisper.

_"It was not your doing. They may have been your ancestors, but what has passed is passed. We cannot continue holding on to such a long grudge, or else only suffering lies ahead for both Ferines and Orerines . . ."_

At this Senel hung his head, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Stella, you're strong."

As he stood before Stella, trying hard not to cry, he was met with an impossibly wistful thought.

Why couldn't Stella be Merines? Someone as strong as Stella would try to reason with the Raging Nerifes, that to bring forth a second cataclysm was madness. A Merines like Stella wouldn't mindlessly destory humanity; like she said, the ones who comitted the actual crimes were long gone. Stella wouldn't be taken in by Nerifes so easily . . . Stella would . . . Stella would . . .

The tears wouldn't stop falling.

--

"So, Will," Chloe continued, "do you know how we're going to make our escape?"

It had been some time; already she was beginning to dry.

Will answered immediately.

"Well, I do suppose that the one who escaped first would go directly to Senel to warn him of the impending danger . . ."

Will trailed off. Chloe was about to ask what was wrong when another sneeze echoed loudly from the dark beyond of the prison halls. She almost laughed.

"Sandor, that is the weirdest sneeze I have ever heard!"

It was indeed an odd sneezing sound--a huge "ahhh" and a small "choo." Moses coughed before replying.

"Man, you don't have to be so cold! It's cold enough down here already . . ."

A sharp howl. Chills ran down Chloe's spine; even if in her mind she knew it was only Giet, the galf that followed his master, she couldn't help but shudder. A howl like that in such a place was just plain creepy and scary. Moses sounded elated when he next spoke.

"Hey, Giet! What brings you here, you little rascal?"

Panting noises gave away where the galf padded to reach his master. Chloe could somewhat make out the silouhette of the galf as it wagged its tail. It also looked as if Moses were giving Giet a good pat on the head.

"Hey, guys, I got somethin' to tell y'all."

"We're listening, Moses." Will's voice was serious.

"Giet here is a grand galf--much, much more powerful than an ordinary galf!"

Chloe smiled.

"Is Giet our ticket out of here, Sandor?"

She could almost hear Moses smile.

"Ya got that right, Chloe!"

--

He'd gotten as far as the red curving bridges half submerged in sea water when a voice he knew well by then stopped him.

"Halt, Orerines filth!"

Damn. Jay had hoped to be clear of the Mirage Palace before Walter could find him . . . he had assumed that Walter would fly to the Quiet Lands, but apparently the Radiant had caught on to who had escaped and acted accordingly. Jay turned to the Radiant, his dagger at the ready.

"A little hostile, aren't you?"

Walter laughed. His hair glowed a soft blue, and already Jay could sense the power awash the Radiant.

"Why wouldn't I be? You're an Orerines, our mortal enemy."

Jay sighed.

"What have I done to wrong you? I only fought you before because you threatened me."

Walter didn't seem to listen, instead, he began casting a crystal eres. At first Jay was alarmed but then he calmed down, realizing it was not a power Tidal Wave this time.

"Arise, O violent waters and take thy revenge!"

Jay faltered slightly. He'd never heard such crystal eres as these before. What was Walter doing? Something to do with water, evidently . . .

Walter finished off the spell.

"Blessed Drops!"

The waters surrounding them surged upward, going straight for Jay in airborne currents. Jay stayed put. He waited until the shadows of the water currents splayed at his feet. He held up his dagger before him.

"Guardian!"

The water splashed harmlessly on the defense eres.

Walter cursed.

"Those who committed crimes against the Radiant," Jay ran up to Walter, his dagger glowing darkly, "are gone! You're just using us as scapegoats for your Nerifes' anger!"

Jay swiped at Walter with his Shadow Reaper, but the Radiant dodged it. He threw a black teriques at Jay. Fast as Jay was, he was not nearly as fast as Walter, and thusly took the hit.

Walter stared, blinking.

"What the hell are you?"

Jay was completely fine. Not a single scratch on him, or any adverse affects associated with the Curse element. Puzzled, Jay stared blankly at his dagger, which still glowed a dark purple. Jay shrugged, turning on Walter once again.

"Someone from the dark,"

Walter began another spell.

"Be swallowed by this brillance of water . . ."

--

They stood outside the Earth Monument, taking a rest. On the way out, they did encounter some more monsters, one of which turned out to be a dragon. Kratos eliminated them with apparent ease. Senel understood then why Tear didn't need to test Kratos to know he was strong. Senel also got to see more of Tear's hymns, and he found he already picked out favorites--Nightmare, Revitalize, Grand Cross, and the Seventh Hymn, the one that delivered only intense pain and that Tear had not truly named.

Kratos was scarily strong. He knew only mid-level spells, such as Grave and Thunder Blade, but they were as strong as if they were high-level spells. Senel didn't want to think about Kratos' iron eres. He knew Chloe's Double Demon Fang, but it was so much more powerful. Kratos also possessed an astounding agility for someone that used swords and equipped heavy armor. Together, with Senel's throwing eres, Kratos' iron and crystal eres, and Tear's hymns, they were a team nigh unstoppable.

At this Senel wondered . . . would he need any special power if Kratos and Tear would only aid him? But this new power must be a way for Senel to use eres on the surface . . . yet it must not be, for Kratos said this new power wasn't in any way related to Nerifes . . .

They rested, and Tear was making a quick lunch--she added the seasonings to her boiling pot of ramen.

Kratos sat on a patch of grass, staring off into the distance. Afternoon was descending upon them; Senel could feel that this was going to be one of those 'lazy' afternoons. He absently chewed on a leaf taken from a mint plant. As the cool minty flavor spilled into his mouth, he thought, "This should be made into a gel." A random thought, but oh, well.

Senel made a point to address Kratos.

"Was that your first test?"

Kratos didn't even turn to face Senel.

"Yes. You passed."

As Senel thought, he must have needed to overcome the scars of his past. Another question leapt from his mouth unbidden.

"Where are we going next?"

The wind blew gently, rustling the grasses and other plants abiding here. The aroma of the then ready ramen wafted over Senel. Kratos pointed in a direction Senel knew.

"The Fire Monument. There you will face your second test."

--

Hikaru: Yay! I found all my papers that had my plans for this story written on them! That was why it took a while to update this . . . I read a PM from another user about this story, and I was struck with inspiration for this story . . . and wrote much, much more for the plot. So! With an actual plan to follow, it might not take uber long to update this story. All I have to do is not lose them . . . haha. Please read and review!


	7. To the Fire Monument

Hikaru: I want to know, peeps . . . what do you think of Walter having so many water-based crystal eres? I mean, he's not a Merines . . . so . . . cha. BUT! I do have something planned if you want to be a stickler for the whole "only a Merines could use so many powerful water crystal eres" thing. Thank you, desu no!

--

Senel sighed for the umpteenth time as Kratos signaled to him about the approach of monsters. If these were the Quiet Lands, why were there so many monsters? Oh, well, as long as Senel didn't have to face that meat-eating horse again . . .

Unlike many other monsters, these monsters didn't rush headlong into battle. They were pack hunters, and the tall grass of this part of the Quiet Lands afforded them quite a nice cover. Approaching the Fire Monument, the grasses were still very tall (up to Senel's waist) and were a frayed yellow-gold color.

If Kratos hadn't been signaling the approach of the monsters, Senel would've never known of their coming.

Kratos didn't draw his sword. In this kind of environment, the monsters were clever, and were hunting them. For some oddity of reason, Kratos didn't see them, but he still knew they were out there. He would cast a spell to force the monsters out of hiding, and then Tear and Senel would jump on the bandwagon.

Senel waited for Kratos. He gestured to Tear with his free hand and silently relayed Kratos' message--monsters.

A rustling caught Senel's eye, and he saw one of the hunters. Six feet tall when standing on their hind legs, these bipedal creatures were deadly. Muscular and powerful, they looked like oversized lizards but they in fact weren't. Senel had heard of these monsters from a zoologist back in Werites Beacon. Raptors had a soft golden skin color, lighter on the underbelly. Their eye color varied from red to orange to gold, thin black stripes marked their necks to their tail tips, and on their snouts was a splash of red.

What most worried Senel about fighting the raptors was the killing claw on their middle toe.

Luckily these monsters hunted in packs of two or three, rarely having more than that number.

Kratos began chanting under his breath, preparing a spell.

Tear sang a hymn softly.

_"Kuroa Ryuo Zue Toue Ryuo Rei Neu Ryuo Zue . . ."_

The reassuring protection afforded by the Second Hymn enveloped Senel, and he grew more confident.

Kratos finished the spell.

"Thunder Blade!"

A huge sword composed of pure lightning flung down from the sky, impaling one raptor. The animal screeched in pain, thrashing about, waving its forearms and its long, stiff tail. Senel kept an eye on the hunter he first spotted. The raptor ducked down low, not a gesture of fear, but a warning of what was to come.

Raptors pounced on their prey and used their killing claw to tear out their insides.

Senel unleashed an iron eres.

"Demon Fist!"

--

Chloe felt vulnerable.

Giet did break them out by destorying the locks on the cell doors, but when she set foot outside of her cell, she felt fear stab her, the knife twisting. All their weapons, armor, and other equipment and supplies were taken from them. The hallways were dark, and they didn't know where their items were kept, how many guards there were, or if any traps awaited them.

The only thing they could rely on so far would be Will's crystal eres, until they found Norma and Grune. Will had said that it was Jay missing after Walter's tidal wave spent itself, so he must be the one that escaped. Well, it was Jay the Unseen. Of course he'd be able to escape this hellhole.

"Were there any guards, Giet?" Moses asked the galf. Giet looked the way he came, nose twitching, and he opened his mouth. A bit of white and blue cloth hung from Giet's teeth. Chloe was relieved to see the absence of blood anywhere in Giet's mouth and on the cloth.

Moses laughed, giving his galf a pat on the head.

"Great! You scared the pants off 'em, huh?"

Yes, Chloe agreed. Quite literally. Yet who wouldn't be scared with a grand galf let loose in the dark like this?

"At any rate," Will said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "let's be going."

Giet led the way. Contrary to popular belief, monsters were intelligent. And such monsters as anything with "grand" attached to its name would undoubtedly be more intelligent than their less grand counterparts. Moses and Chloe walked between Giet and Will. Giet would warn of any impending threat, and Will would watch their back. Chloe kept a careful eye on the cells they passed, looking for Norma and Grune. Weakened like this, to call out to them would be suicide.

After a time of walking single-mindedly down the hallway, Giet stopped, fangs bared, a low growl coming from his throat. Will began to chant a spell. Chloe and Moses hid themselves in a nearby open cell.

"Brilliant vangaurd of the heavens, cry havoc and with your wrath lead my enemies to their doom!"

Giet howled, and two Radiant guards appeared from the darkness.

"Prison break! The Orerines have escaped!"

One, equipped with a sword, rushed toward Giet and Will, while the other stood back, his teriques forming into the zephyr monster. Giet gave another howl, and Chloe, although she was only an iron eren, sensed the power forming about Giet.

A great boulder materialized in the air above, and it fell, rolling down the hallway. The advancing Radiant swordsman barely dodged; his face had been scraped by the passing boulder, leaving bleeding scratches. The zephyr and its owner weren't so lucky.

Chloe shuddered. She never did have a fondness for the Rolling Stone spell . . .

"Indignation!"

The Radiant swordsman had stepped right into the circle which denoted the target of the spell. A single bolt of lightning struck. The Radiant screamed, flinging his sword away. The acrid smell of burnt flesh stung Chloe's nose.

"All right Giet!" Moses jumped out of his hiding place, hugging the galf. Giet wagged his tail, and if evolution had granted Giet a full set of facial muscles, he might've smiled in content.

With a start, Chloe recognized the sword the Radiant had dropped. She walked over to the fallen weapon. It glowed faintly with an ominous power. No doubt about it.

Chloe picked up her Excailbur, the weight of the blade quite welcome. She gave it a few test swings; it was still in good condition. Now all that was needed was to find the rest of the equipment and find Norma and Grune.

She looked at Giet fondly.

"Beware of dog," she said quietly.

--

"Mighty Deluge!"

A great deal of water from their surroundings rose up once, looming not as high or ominously as the tidal wave, but just as dangerous. Jay braced himself for the dwarf flood. Fortunately, the flood only served to carry Jay to the farther extent of the bridge. Coughing, Jay struggled to get to his feet, his dagger still glowing.

From the folds of his jacket a small golden bell fell, clinking when it hit the ground.

Walter approached, smirking.

Jay sighed, stuffed the bell back into his jacket and got up, prepared to fight.

"You couldn't defeat me when you had five other allies," that smirk widened to show off his teeth in a malicious grin, "what makes you think you can defeat me on your own?"

That's right . . . Jay was on his own, for now, at least. It was true that the combined strength of those bestowed with sacred eres wasn't enough to defeat Walter . . . what was Jay to do?

Pain flashed in his head. Jay blinked, but the brief, white-hot pain had gone as fast as it had come.

Jay took in a deep breath.

"What will you do?" Walter asked mockingly.

Jay fed more dark energy into his dagger. The blade glowed a stronger dark color. He threw the dagger at Walter. The Radiant didn't expect that; he belatedly dodged the projectile. A shallow gash ripped through his clothing, dashed with deep red.

"Is that all?" Walter charged, aiming a kick at Jay.

Jay grabbed the leg flying at him; pushed it away. Walter fell to the ground, knocked off balance. Jay sprinted to where his dagger lay. Picking it up, he watched Walter rush for him again. He got closer. Jay spread his feet slightly.

Almost . . . almost . . .

There!

When Walter was close enough, Jay leapt in the air, over the speedy Radiant.

"Crow Blade!"

Walter fell down again as Jay kicked his glowing cranium on his way over. Walter coughed; he'd bumped his chin on the ground, and it bled lightly.

"Damn Orerines," Walter muttered.

In an instant he was back on his feet, but when he looked, Jay the Unseen was gone.

--

The raptor leapt over the shockwave, foreclaws outstretched, fangs bared, killing claws extended.

Senel cursed, somersaulting forward, underneath the jumping raptor. It landed a ways behind him, snarling, turning around to face its prey. Senel stood, backed a ways away. He ran forward, jumping as the raptor had.

"Pheonix Strike!"

He landed on the raptor's back. It squalled and trashed and kicked, but Senel put his full weight on the creature, pinning it down to the earth and holding both its legs so its killing claws were rendered useless. The raptor snarled although it knew it was helpless.

Senel was met with a problem. Kratos and Tear were busy fending off the last raptor. Senel had managed to pin it down, to put the animal in check so it couldn't attack, but neither could Senel.

An idea came to him. It was risky, but this raptor was nowhere near as heavy as the meat-eating horse was in the Earth Monument, so why not? Senel took a deep breath. He had to move quickly or else the raptor would surely get him.

Senel darted off the raptor's body, his hands never leaving it. The raptor made to get up, but Senel grabbed it, lifting it bodily into the air. Stunned, the raptor did nothing but squawk in fear. Senel smirked.

"Rending Earth!"

With a great impact he thrust the animal into the ground; it jolted, jarred, and Senel heard a sickening _crack_ somewhere in its neck. Panting, Senel looked at the body of the raptor. It lay motionless, its pointed tongue hanging limply out of its jaw. Its blood red eyes stared lifelessly.

Senel sure didn't want to become this animal's lunch, but the thought of killing it made him a little sad. Raptors were beautiful, in the way of dangerous things, and with no one in the Quiet Lands, these animals could live out their days doing little harm to people. Hell, Senel was sure most people topside didn't even know about these creatures.

He stared at the dead body for a time. Then, he took his pocket knife and knelt.

"Senel, are you all right?" Tear called over the tall grasses, approaching with Kratos.

Senel nodded, getting up again, pocketing the knife. In his hand he held one of the dead raptor's sickle-shaped killing claws.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Kratos looked around the field once more, but it seemed they were finally alone.

"All right then, let's be off before more of these creatures find us."

Kratos and Tear went ahead of Senel, wading through the grasses. Senel fingered the claw he held, the smooth sickle as dark as obsidian. He pricked a finger with it accidentally. A bead of blood welled up on his finger. It was sharp.

Senel sighed, looking up into the artificial sky fading into sunset.

"Stella . . . I will save Shirley. I promise."

--

Hikaru: Whoot! Sorry if the raptor battle seemed kinda random; but I needed an interlude for Senel's group (since I don't want to advance the story too quickly) and then I thought, "Raptors!" Plus it helped that I love raptors . . . cha. The raptors here are a reference to Robert T. Bakker's novel Raptor Red, if you didn't know or notice. So, with that being said . . . please review!


	8. The Most Fleeting of Shadows

Hikaru: If any of you readers know and like Kingdom Hearts, please, please, please check out my only story about it! Thank you!

--

Not long after the battle with the raptors, the Fire Monument loomed in the distance. And as Senel and his allies drew ever closer to the building, it steadily grew hotter. It wasn't long before even Tear was uncomfortable. Kratos, however, even dressed in long sleeves and pants, never complained once.

Sand grains floated on the slight winds, but instead of making it cooler, it only served to make it seem even warmer still. Senel wished Will were around to use Spread like he used to when they first were here.

Inside the monument, it was infinitely hotter than the outside. As they traveled through, Senel had to say something.

"Do either of you know any ice or water based spells? Because this heat is _killing_ me."

This statement was painfully true, for Senel was in the front lines whenever a monster or two crossed their path in the monument. When one used his own body as a weapon, he was worn out and hot enough even in moderate climate. Here, it was murderous.

Kratos shook his head sheathing his sword after they'd done away with the fifth monster.

"No, I do not. However," he glanced at Tear, "I know that Tear knows a handy water spell. Don't you, Tear?"

Senel started, remembering one spell that Tear had used on him before. He smiled at Tear.

"Pretty please, with a cherry on top?"

Tear couldn't help but smile, too.

"All right . . ." Holding her staff, she began chanting.

"O purest water of life . . ."

Of course, in such a hot setting, invoking moisture and transforming it into water was much more difficult than if they were in a moderate climate. The wait was too long for Senel.

After what felt like an eternity, Tear cast the spell.

"Meditation!"

Senel never before gave much thought to plants, rooted in the earth, soaking in the sunlight, waiting patiently for the rains or their gardeners to water them. Now Senel was sure to care for his plants more attentively from now on.

For when Tear's spell gave him the kiss of life, Senel knew what it was like for a plant dying of thirst to finally be watered.

Rather unfortunately, the intense heat in the area sapped all the coldness the water had, and the air to Senel felt humid.

Senel gave Tear a hopeful glance.

Tear sighed, walking on ahead.

"No. We have to conserve what energy we have for serious situations."

Kratos followed the healer, and Senel walked on, still begging Tear to use the spell again.

"C'mon, Tear, please? Pretty pretty pretty please?"

"No, Senel. Let's go."

"Grr . . ."

"Don't argue, Senel. Making Tear waste energy will get us nowhere."

--

Chloe sheathed her sword, buckled on her armor, and equipped her accessories once more.

Will had reclaimed his hammer of doom, and Moses was quite happy to see his lances unharmed. In the corner, Giet was gnawing on a bone, left over from Nerifes knew what.

Not too far from where Will and Giet had taken out the Radiant guards, Chloe and Co. had discovered a chamber where all the equipment had been stored.

What worried Chloe the most was the fact that Grune's urn and Norma's straw were here as well, yet they failed to locate the actual people.

"Raynard," Chloe approached Will as he tied on his crystal eren robe, "where do you suppose Norma and Grune are? I'm worried."

Will attached a Field of Effects charm on his belt, slipping an emerald ring.

"Well, my guess would be in the event of cases like these, where their prisoners escaped, they separated us in the dungeon to slow us down."

Silence.

Moses was curled up in the corner with Giet. The lancer's lips were pulled into a prominent frown, and even Giet looked sad.

Will clenched his hands into fists.

"Dammit! They separated the stronger from the more vulnerable! Norma and Grune have their crystal eres, but what use will they be if they have nobody to protect them?"

Chloe was silent. She had nothing of comfort to say, for what Will said was true. Instead, she walked over to Grune's urn, picked it up. It was heavy, and made of strong material. Well, it had to be, since Chloe did see Grune hit a monster or two with it if they got too close during battle . . .

The sides of the urn were engraved with mysterious runes that Chloe didn't know. The characters didn't look like Relares. Even though Chloe was not a Radiant or in any way affliated with them aside from her current situation, Chloe knew to recognize Relares from the various writings all over the Legacy. Chloe sighed. Written words speak. But there was no possible way to find Grune and Norma by looking at the writing on Grune's urn. Even if Chloe knew the language, it couldn't tell her where to find her missing comrades.

She sighed, bending down to put Grune's urn down. Something rattled inside it as it moved. Chloe quirked an eyebrow. Curious, she peered inside the urn. It was small, but it was there--a beautiful crystal, shining a light blue and shimmering in the light. Chloe reached for the item. It was cool to the touch. She pulled it out of the urn--stopped. Chloe tried pulling her hand. Horrified, she realized what had happened.

"Oh . . . my hand is stuck!"

--

Jay didn't live among the Oresoren for six years and learn nothing. Since the Oresoren were in fact a deviated species from normal otters, they did swim, and often.

When Walter had gone, Jay was amazed the Radiant didn't think to look in the water. Jumping over Walter and knocking him down was merely a distraction for the Radiant while Jay made for the water. Manipulation of magical energy was a wondrous thing, as Jay had realized so long ago. He had eluded Walter with the help of his sacred eres; for when he jumped into the lake the Mirage Palace was submerged in, he manipulated the water to make no sound.

Granted, of course Jay could never hope to achieve the Radiant's level of power over the water, nonetheless the sacred eres from the Quiet Nerifes served him well enough.

Walter was gone. He never went back inside the palace. Instead he invoked his black teriques and flew off, presumably to the Quiet Lands. In the water, Jay couldn't help but smirk. The only other way to the Quiet Lands was to use the lighthouse in Werites Beacon. Flying to such a faraway place was undoubtedly faster than going on foot, yet if Jay moved quickly, he could reach the Quiet Lands faster via the tram.

Smirk still plastered on his face, Jay climbed out of the water, heading for the way out.

Going down was somehow harder than going up. Although Jay knew all the teleportation pathways, and escaped monsters well enough, he didn't seem to be moving fast enough for his own liking. Walter may like his wings, but using the ducts might not be below him. Good thing Jay accessed the duct system via the last Puzzle Booth and twisted all the pathways of every single duct existing on the Legacy. Such a massive, simultaneous path-twisting would create a very large, very difficult Puzzle Booth; Jay doubted even Puzzle Guru Senel could handle it.

Jay splashed seawater as he ran across the smooth pathways and corridors of the palace, making his way to the place where the tram rested.

In the final floor before the tram station, Jay stopped to rest. He'd been running nonstop. Panting, he sat on a small set of smooth, circular stairs, graced with a small stream of water running down.

In a place so full of water and moisture, the air was cool, and with so much water around, salt and fresh alike, he never had to worry about dehydration. He fished out of his pocket a small lunch box. Jay was glad he made it waterproof. He munched on his apple pastries. The Mirage Palace was truly a beautiful and peaceful place. It was too bad that the rift between the Orerines and Radiant rendered this place a battleground.

A battleground that Jay and his comrades had lost . . .

How could they have lost? Jay had planned everything perfectly. He had even accounted for Walter's enhanced strength and abilities due to the Raging Nerifes's power. Was it the new crystal eres of Walter that Jay hadn't foreseen?

Jay took in a deep breath, loosened his tightly clenched fingers. The crumbs of what was left of the pastry fell from his hand.

Water splashed nearby.

Jay leapt to his feet, dagger out in an instant.

Standing on a few platforms above Jay was a galf. Unlike the other galves that Jay had faced so far, this one stood completely still. It also didn't look much like the commoner strains of galf. It strongly resembled the dark galves from the Chaotic Zones scattered throughout the Legacy, except it was darker, black as pitch. Its eyes glowed an ominous molten gold, but they didn't seem threatening.

Those eyes were focused on Jay.

Jay blinked, puzzled. Why was this galf, a wild animal, not attacking? The dark galves were much more vicious than their mild counterparts . . . save the grand galves. Jay's dagger glowed with a dark light once more.

The galf threw its head back, howling once.

Jay gasped. Something sparkled about the galf's neck--

The galf vanished, nothing more than a wispy, fleeting shadow.

Jay looked at his dagger.

The blade never lost is dark luster.

--

"Merines, I implore you, activate the Wings of Light so we may be done once and for all with the damned Orerines!"

Maurits's request was voiced with such passion that it echoed throughout the throne room. Walter had already gone. It seemed an eternity ago to Maurits, the glorious day when the Merines had finally awakened from her state of dormancy. Of course, those filthy Orerines had set foot on Ferines holy ground, intruded on a very important and sacred ceremony, and killed even more Ferines to get at the Merines, but it was all worth it. Now that the Merines had relcaimed her power, become one with Nerifes, the Ferines had the power to end the savage four thousand year reign of the Orerines!

Yet now that the Merines took her place upon the throne that would herald the salvation of the Ferines, time passed far too slowly for Maurits. He'd waited all his life for this one moment, ever since he first bestowed the Merines with her oh so fitting name: "One Who Prays."

So what was the Merines waiting for?

She took a deep breath, and for a moment Maurits saw in her eyes the will of Nerifes give way to the eyes of the shy girl she had been before--

No!

"I understand the will of Nerifes," she began, voice soft but full of power, "as well as the heinous crimes done to us at the hands of the Orerines."

Maurits before had not dared to question the Merines, their leader almighty and representative of Nerifes Herself.

Now he found himself speaking against her, his voice filled with rage.

"Then why do you hesitate to deliver the salvation of our people?"

She lifted her gaze, her eyes brimming with the power of Nerifes once more. Maurits in that instant wished he hadn't spoken; those eyes pierced him right through his very soul.

"I will take no further action until I have spoken with my brother."

Maurits was taken aback, all the rage drained from his voice.

"Your . . . brother."

She nodded.

"He at the very least deserves to know my resolve . . . and I wish to bid him farewell."

Maurits clamped his mouth shut. So, the Merines knew of Senel's wish to speak to her. He found the strength to speak.

"Why? He is an Orerines, and therefore cannot be trusted. Orerines have wronged you countless times before."

The most recent atrocity that should fuel the Merines's will to slaughter all Orerines was the fact that the Orerines used the Nerifes Cannon, using her and her sister! Not to mention the second firing and her use of her teriques to stop the cannon fire cost Stella her life. That was a true shame. Maurits had taken a liking to her--she was always so wise and helpful . . . and her teriques looked like the fiery gold wings of a pheonix, a being born of the stars.

So Maurits, as was his right as village chief, named her--Stella Telmes, "Guiding Star."

And that damned Orerines had deceived her and the Merines!

Not only that, but it was the fault of Senel that Stella was captured by the Crusand army in the first place--and he had kidnapped the Merines!

These crimes could not go unnoticed.

The Merines spoke.

"Though they have wronged me, three years of memories with my brother are not so easily thrown away. Though I am the Merines, agent of the will of Nerifes, the sea itself, I am an imperfect vessel, burdened with a soul and emotions. I am only an unworthy mortal. Rest assured that I will carry out my duty as Merines. But first I will have my peace."

At this Maurits could not help but smile wryly. He bowed to acknowledge the Merines.

"As you wish, Merines."

He turned, exiting the throne room. He knew just the thing to fully convince the Merines . . .

--

"Kratos."

They were resting in the antechamber before the deepest part of the monument, eating a lunch that Tear had made beforehand.

She also had cast a powerful spell to keep the intense heat at bay.

Kratos ate, occasionally taking a drink from his water canteen.

"What is it, Senel?"

Senel did eat, but as he did so, he couldn't help but think . . .

"Why are you helping me?"

It was all very strange, wasn't it? Though Senel was glad to have allies once more, they didn't state their motives, only vague answers that made little sense to Senel. What's more, they were immensely powerful, and Senel had to question their motives in helping him.

Kratos calmly took another bite of the beef stew Tear had made, swallowed.

"Is preventing the second cataclysm not reason enough?"

Senel's grip tightened on his spoon.

"Then why not help my comrades--" Senel stopped. Comrades? If that were so, why did they leave him with virtually nothing but a endless pit of despair? He regained his composure, continued.

"You're powerful enough, and Tear, too. They were already heading for the Mirage Palace to stop Shirley; if you knew Nerifes rejected me, then you must've known where they went!"

Indeed, these two never told him how they knew of Nerifes's rejecting Senel. He had thought before that he and the others were the only ones currently occupying the Quiet Lands.

Tear said nothing. Senel knew that many women tended to be emotional, but here, Tear looked nothing more than a statue, her face a mask. She didn't even appear to be affected at all by Senel's question.

Kratos took another bite of his stew.

Senel hated the way Kratos was stoic about anything and everything. It was so . . . inhuman.

"Senel. You are the only one who can stop the Merines. You are the only one with a ghost of a chance of persuading her from this second cataclysm."

"Why?" Senel pressed. "It's possible that the others could have done it!"

Kratos shook his head, the most emotion he'd shown ever since Senel first met him.

"The others had no mind to do anything to stop the cataclysm except to kill the Merines, the one you called 'sister' for three years."

Senel's jaw worked, nothing of speech forming. That was true, wasn't it? Senel had insisted on going to convince Shirley not to wipe out all humanity, yet the others had denied him, telling him that without any sacred eres, without any power, he could do nothing. They were most likely going to have to kill Shirley anyway, so why bother?

Why, indeed?

"So you know she's important to me." Senel said barely above a whisper.

"That's not all," Senel started; Kratos should not have heard, "since the Orerines and Ferines have lived on the same planet for four thousand years, this mindless slaughter of one against the other has to stop. They've fought for so long, they've forgotten why they started to fight, other than the simple fact that they are different. Preventing the Cataclysm with the Merines alive is key to the end of this bloody coexistence. If the leader of the Ferines is killed, it will be infinitely harder to meet diplomatically with the Ferines."

Senel had to admit, Kratos put up a good argument. The only thing that Senel did know about the Ferines-Orerines fued was that it had been going on for four thousand years--he did hear something about the Ferines waiting four thousand years for their Merines to appear and save them all.

He sighed, continued eating his lunch. There was no denying it--Kratos was right. He had no time for doubts; he had to do what he could to stop Shirley without needless bloodshed.

If completing Kratos's tests was the only way to do so, then so be it.

--

Hikaru: I do believe this story is flowing along quite nicely! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some sketches to attend to, a certain one-winged bonus boss to beat (who beat me thirty-three times so far . . . I kid thee not!), and to cry in my "powerfully invoked emotions from listening to beautiful music" corner. :P If you watched the Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix Secret Ending trailer, then I rest my case.


	9. The Second Test

Hikaru: And now! Without further adieu, Kratos's Second Test! Dun-dun-DUN!

--

The staircases and the three floors with the cylindrical tanks changed not at all, something Senel was glad to see. Kratos had said his second test would take place in the deepest part of the Fire Monument, where Senel with his previous allies had fought the vulcan gaet.

Senel had resolved not to take any doubts, to go forward through Kratos's tests and gain the power to stop Shirley. Even if she had become one with Nerifes, even if she had resolved to carry out her duty as the agent of the sea, she was still Shirley, and Senel knew Shirley like the back of his hand.

At least that's what he hoped.

Senel had been shocked enough when he saw Stella like she was in the Earth Monument.

He could never have prepared himself for what he saw.

Not even if Kratos himself had warned him of what was to come.

"What . . . ?"

In the center of the platform where the vulcan gaet had appeared was a cylindrical tank filled with the same liquid as the ones in the pervious room.

It was not empty.

Inside was a young man. He was not as young as Senel, but he couldn't be much older. His skin was a burnished bronze, and seemed to glow with a reddish hue. His long hair was tied into a thick braid, colored red and fire-gold; it shone with an almost metallic sheen.

"What is this?" Senel's voice was no more than a ghost of a whisper.

The young man dressed in a peculiar fashion--a dark red cloth wrapped around one shoulder, tied at his belt, and reached his feet. He wore a pair of light grey, knee length pants, and sandals laced up to his knees. Golden armbands and bracers adorned him, and he wore upon his head a gold circlet, fletched with three wing feathers of fire gold on each side.

Kratos stepped back, Tear following suit.

"This," Kratos said, "is your second test."

At the foot of the tank was a metal plate engraved with a name. Senel supposed it was the name of the person.

_Reno Cauda Draconis._

Reno's eyes snapped open. Blood red, with narrow black slits. A chill ran down Senel's spine. Those eyes looked like the bloodthirsty eyes of a dragon.

Power welled up in the tank.

The glass became covered in spider web cracks; Senel threw his arms over his face. The tank positively exploded. Chunks of broken glass flew everywhere. Senel picked out the worst from his arms, hands glowing blue.

Reno stood, panting as if he ran a marathon. Pointed ears poked out from his hair.

Senel glanced over his shoulder at Kratos, eyes wide with disbelief.

_Did . . . Kratos do this to him?_

A powerful burst of heat got Senel's attention.

The heat source was the person. Senel's jaw dropped.

"No way . . ."

Senel's second test was to fight a being with power over fire.

--

After pulling so hard that Chloe feared that her hand would come off, said hand came free of the maw of Grune's urn, with the crystal clenched tightly in her fingers.

"What's that you've got there, Chlole?"

Will approached, curious. Chloe opened her palm, showing Will the crystal.

"It was in Grune's urn."

Will's eyes instantly lit up.

"Fantastic! This little crystal is chock full of so much power!"

Something clicked in Chloe's mind while Will fawned over the crystal. At the Altar of the Sea, when that snowstorm had swept them away from immediate danger by means unknown, Grune was talking about a "Celsius" . . . and something about a "Celsius's seed" . . .

"Was this what Grune was talking about?"

Will stammered.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Chloe held up the crystal. It appeared after that blizzard, so does that have to do with any--

"Ah!"

Chloe dropped the crystal; it was so cold all of a sudden. Will knelt, poked at it some more.

"This appears to be a great condensation of the power of coldness."

A cool voice as winter breeze echoed throughout the chamber.

_"It seems you know my master."_

Chloe yelped, backed away. Her feet bumped into the urn--when Chloe looked at it, the runes written on it glowed a bright blue.

Chloe blinked, looked at the seed. It hovered, shining.

_"As of now my master is in great danger, as are you all. Speaking to you uses tremendous power, so listen carefully."_

Chloe could only look aft, her mouth hanging wide open, eyes equally as wide. This little seed was floating, glowing, and most importantly, _speaking. _An inanimate object was speaking to them.

Something cold nudged Chloe's hand, with a start, she glanced down at Giet, the bone sticking out of his mouth. Chloe nodded. This seed had important information, so it implied.

She must listen.

--

How could it be? Never before was there anyone Walter had ever met that was impervious to any kind of element at all! Granted, that kid, Jay, was immune to only one element--Curse--but it still was such a shock. Walter had grown used to the idea that only the Ferines had any elemental immunity, first to Sea, second to ice, and so forth.

How could that boy, of the Orerines, be immune to darkness?

Walter shook off the uncomfortable thought as he flew above the Legacy, his black teriques spread across his back. He had more important matters to attend to than worrying about the reason why that Orerines was immune to the Curse element. All Walter had to do next time they met was not use it. Yes. A smile spread widely across Walter's face. Perhaps corner him in a lake, or even in the ocean itself! That boy was quite agile, just as speedy as Walter was himself. All he had to do was put that in check.

Walter soared across the skies, eyes scanning the humongous ship beneath him. Indeed it had ceased to resemble a ship, instead a giant landmass, a continent in its own right.

His next stop was the Quiet Lands, to fetch that dreadful Orerines Senel. To bring him, of all people, directly to the Merines . . . ! Why? Walter would gladly put that piece of scum out of his misery, although it would be by no means painless. Perhaps deal him a blow to let him bleed internally to death, or an external wound. Break his limbs one by one, or crush every bone in his miserable body . . . the possiblities were endless.

Alas, Walter was a subordinate of the Merines and her underling, Maurits. They must have reasons for bringing Senel to the Merines.

Walter smirked as he located the largest settlement on the Legacy--Werites Beacon.

As he landed before the city, his teriques fading, Walter felt much, much better.

He was to bring Senel to the Merines, alive.

Nothing was said about bringing Senel unharmed.

--

It was dark, unforgivingly dark. She rattled the bars, screaming as loud as she could in the most annoying voice she could muster.

"Hey, you! What's the point of imprisoning us?! Hey, I'm talking to you!"

The guards outside her cell tried their best to remain still, but Norma could see their fingers clenching their staves so tightly they were bleached white. She smiled, partially satisfied.

"I mean," she said loudly, "G-Girl and I are really, really worked up right about now, so I suggest letting us go before you get hurt!"

The guards before had tried their very best to ignore Norma's baiting. They could do that no longer. One of the Radiant turned to face Norma in her cell, and she yelped when he thrust the lance through the cell bars, mere inches from her face.

"I'd shut up if I were you," the Radiant guard said savagely through clenched teeth.

Norma and Grune shared the same cell. Stripped of their channeling mediums, the Radiant thought them harmless now. Norma had been worried about Grune. Grune had awakened some time ago, but she was curled up in the far area of the cell, holding her head as if it pained her, her lips murmuring in soundless mantra.

Her memory might be returning, but then again it may be something else altogether. Norma was a healer, yes, but something like this she couldn't do all by herself. She had to do something to get out of here, and bring Grune to Will. Their eres combined, perhaps Norma and Will could manage something.

Norma smiled at the guard, who still held the lance pointed at her throat, her finger tapping the lance blade.

"If you were me," Norma stood, grabbed the lance and yanked it into the cell, stunning the guard into releasing his grip, "wouldn't you do _this?"_

The other Radiant guard smirked.

"What can you do? You're in there, we're in here."

Norma grinned ear to ear, holding tightly onto the lance. She preferred her straw, it was so much lighter than this unwieldy thing, but it would do. She gathered the energy for a crystal eres, aiming it at the barrier between her and the guards--the cell gate.

"Great king of distant lands, receive this foolish offering which grovels at your feet!"

The two Radiant guards felt the energy welling up around Norma, and they grew afraid.

"She's foolish! She may get caught up in it!"

"Don't stand there! Call your guardian!"

The unarmed Radiant aimed to do just that, his turquoise teriques forming, separating from his own body and transforming into that animated doll, a zephyr.

Norma positively _beamed._

"Ground Dasher!"

The hallways between the cells in the dungeon were small, so the Radiant guards had nowhere to run. They could only stand there, even as the zephyr was half-formed, jaws agape, disbelieving.

The earth gave a mighty shudder beneath them, devastating the cell door, crumpling it. The earth lurched upwards, breaking, splitting apart into an uneven ground, the pavement jutting upwards. The zephyr vanished in a wisp of bluish green mist, and the Radiant attempted to run, only to trip, their feet caught in the open maw of the earth. The chasm widened, and the Radiant men slipped and fell, screaming.

Norma held the lance tightly. Those Radiant weren't dead--the chasm wasn't deep enough. They might be injured, knocked out, but nothing they wouldn't be able to take care of once they came to. Norma turned to Grune, hefting the spear. It was a heavier than her straw, yes, but definitely lighter than Chloe's swords. Norma doubted she could use it effectively like Moses could, but as a channeling device it was wonderful.

"C'mon, G-Girl," Norma shook Grune gently, holding her shoulder. "We gotta make a break for it!"

When Grune showed no signs of understanding what Norma had said, the younger woman focused on another eres.

"Revive!" She whispered, and the green light washed over Grune. Grune opened her eyes, blinking blankly.

"Norma?" she said softly.

Norma helped Grune to stand.

"G-Girl, do you need a weapon to use your eres?"

Grune looked to the ceiling loftily the way she always did.

"I think so . . ."

Norma sighed. If they encountered any more bad guys, it would be hard enough casting alone to protect herself. How could she protect Grune in the bargain?

Nonetheless it would have to work. Norma and Grune had to regroup with the others before something happened, and before Grune's headache attack came back.

Norma lifted her spear in the air, pointing to the hallway beyond the buckled earth.

"Charge!"

--

The metals of the floor, walls, and ceiling were quite warped by now, partially melted and radiating heat, glowing red hot. Senel dodged the tongues of flame that this being of fire emitted, getting scalded every now and then. He had no time to pause, only to dodge.

The only time this Reno left himself vulnerable was when he stood still, chanting, casting a crystal eres.

Just as Reno was doing now. His hands were clapped together, as if in prayer, and Senel could sense the immense energy the being was gathering. No doubt he was charging up for a fire eres, and Senel had no desire to be burned to ashes.

Senel charged, fists flying.

"Wyrm Rush!"

Reno fell after the series of punches, his casting interrupted. He stood, aimed at kick at Senel. Senel leapt up in the air for a Talon Strike. Reno did something unexpected. He used the force from what would've been his kick to throw himself to the ground, thereby dodging Senel's attack. He rolled away from Senel, leaping back to his feet.

Reno clapped his hands.

Senel looked over his shoulder, staring at Kratos and Tear, who only stood back on the catwalk, watching. Why weren't they helping him?

Senel snapped out of it; he had dawdled too long. A fireball materialized above Reno, and Senel knew it was going to go for him. As soon as the sphere of fire launched itself at him, he took a great risk and somersaulted forward just as he had when he fought the raptor. When he landed, he swung a sweeping kick at Reno's legs, just behind the knees.

Reno fell hard onto the metal ground, and Senel leapt to his feet, panting. Reno did not move for a time. When he did, he made no move to suggest he had intentions to attack. He sat upright, hand holding the part of his face that he had hit when he fell. His eyes dimmed, the firelight fading, and Senel slightly relaxed. Reno seemed to be looking at his surroundings, confused.

Reno spoke, but not in any language Senel knew. It sounded as if he were asking a question.

"I beg your pardon?" Senel carefully asked, lowering his fists. It's possible that this Reno was put into some kind of hypnotic trance during his confinement in the tank, and attacked not of his own will.

Reno started and stood, staring at Senel, those dragon's eyes coming back, the fire igniting anew.

"How long?" Reno asked harshly. Senel blinked, not understanding.

Reno pointed at the destoryed cylindrical container from which he had come.

"How long was I trapped in there?"

Senel could only shrug.

"I don't know."

Reno blinked, staring at Senel, as if he had just realized something.

"So it's true . . ." He clenched his hands into fists, and a great circle began to draw itself, encompassing all of the platform, written in living flame. Senel staggered back, trying not to step in the fires. Reno seemed to smile.

"You are one of them! Were you captured, too?"

Senel had no idea how to address this awkward conversation. He instead assumed a fighting stance. Reno lowered his gaze, his smile ebbing away.

"Very well. Just like that time, even here, in no home of our own, are we doomed to be washed away in the rains?"

This guy was creeping Senel out. What was he talking about? Senel went for Reno, only to be stopped by a lashing tongue of flame.

"Crimson fury, burn!"

The lines of fire on the circle grew thicker, bigger, and more menacing. Senel fished a gel out of his item back, swallowing it. Did Reno intend to cremate him alive?

If so, then this being of fire was quite a thing indeed, to be left alone in the world, with such power. What could happen . . . ?

The energy welled up about Reno, and Senel knew that he had to keep the spell from being completed, lest he die in a horrible flaming embrace.

Reno held his hands out, palms forward, tongues of flame snaking all over his body.

Senel ran for Reno, leapt up in the air for a Phoenix Strike.

And just in time, for it was at that precise moment that Reno activated his spell.

"Pyres!"

The platform postively exploded with fiery energy, and died down just as Senel came down upon Reno. Reno, drained after working his magic, couldn't move. Senel landed on Reno, tackling him to the ground, still scaldingly hot after the magic. Senel brought back his fist in order to punch his opponent, but Reno held up a hand, panting for breath.

"I surrender."

Senel nodded, lowering his fist. He stood, stepping away from the strange person he'd just defeated. Reno got to his feet, holding his left arm, the one Senel had injured in the Phoenix Strike. Reno threw Senel a look. Senel couldn't tell if it was meant to be a glare or otherwise.

"If I'm here, that must mean . . . yes, they'll be here, too . . . find a way . . . to go home . . ."

Reno staggered toward the exit, approaching Kratos and Tear on the catwalk. Instead of bearing arms against Reno, Kratos and Tear parted to allow him through. Reno ignored them on his way out.

Senel fell to his knees, suddenly feeling quite weak. Tear rushed to his side, murmuring a healing art over him. Kratos stood before Senel, arms folded, face ageless, expressionless like always.

"Well done," Kratos said, managing what Senel supposed would be a smile, "you passed."

As Tear administered to his burns and other wounds, Senel blurted out, "Who was that guy?"

Kratos looked over his shoulder, at the doorway Reno had taken.

"A trapped soul," he said quietly. "And you freed him."

--

Hikaru: FINALLY! Sorry for the long wait! I misplaced my plans and had to relocate them. Also, I was on a writing spree a few days ago, but suddenly I had nothing but blanks for everything. "OMG!" I screamed, "I _killed_ my creativity!" And so it had been, and then the same thing happened to me while I was drawing. I was drawing a picture of a favorite character of mine, and labored over it for two hours, and after I finished it, I couldn't draw anything anymore. But now I've gotten my writing streams back. Here's hoping I'll be able to draw something again soon! Please review!

PS--I know, it doesn't make much sense right now. Don't worry, things will tie together in the end! I've got a plan, remember :)


	10. New Allies

Hikaru: Whoot for ice cream!

--

Tear was an amazing healer. She'd managed to get rid of all the burns, bruises, and cuts and such from the battle with Reno. She cooked great food, too. But for some reason, Senel's strength was not quick to return. Even with all of Tear's healing spells, medicines, and food, Senel just wasn't feeling up to getting moving on to the next test Kratos had for him.

So Kratos had decided the best thing to do would be to take Senel back to the Oresoren camp to rest.

Night was falling upon the Quiet Lands, just like the time when Kratos had first visited Senel. Senel lay on the rug eagle-sprawled, breathing in and out, slowly and deeply. He had a fever, and the damp cloth upon his forehead felt like a cold, clammy, lifeless hand. Tear had tried to feed him some soup, but Senel refused. He had the feeling if he tried to eat anything, he'd only end up heaving it back up.

Senel felt awful. He didn't know if he caught an illness or anything, but it sure was bugging him. He remembered the brief time Moses, Jay, and Grune had caught colds simultaneously when they were adventuring in the Ice Monument. It had taken Norma and Will an astounding amount of crystal eres and medicines to get rid of it so they could focus on their goals ahead.

Senel had no time to by lying around sick in bed! He had a mission!

. . . But his horribly aching and throbbing head told him otherwise, to stay put until he got better. With Tear and Kratos (who, Senel discovered, had a handy healing spell of his own) taking care of him, Senel would get better in no time.

Senel opened his eyes. His vision swam, but he could still see well enough to know that Tear and Kratos sat together on the beach, listening to the lullaby of the waves produced by the ocean of the Quiet Nerifes . . .

-

"Who was that boy, really?" Tear asked, looking into the horizon.

Kratos didn't answer right away. He was busy holding a conch shell to his ear, listening to the distant waves echoing in the curved shell.

"Surely, Tear, you can figure it out. Didn't they send you to accompany me not only for your skill with magic, but your own intelligence as well?"

Tear nodded, musing to herself. She, too, held a shell in her hand, although it was not a conch shell. It was a scallop shell, smooth.

"The Monuments are connected to Nerifes. That boy was connected to a Monument."

Kratos closed his eyes, listening to the echo in the shell. This sound calmed him.

"Light of the sacred flame. Tail of the dragon." Tear sighed. "I don't think that boy was kept there for a reason he'd like."

"Certainly not," Kratos concurred, his face still relaxed.

Silence passed for a time, the lapping of the waves, the faint breeze, and the echo of the waves in the shell were the only noises. Night was descending quickly, already the artificial sky faded from red-orange to a dark shade of blue--twilight. Tear inhaled and exhaled deeply.

"Was it necessary to make Senel fight that boy? You said we were only going to free him."

Kratos put the conch shell down in the soft sand beside him. The ocean turned darker, an inky shade of blackish blue. The sand turned paler, a fine light blue. Stars winked into existance in the artificial sky, glimmering like diamonds.

"The power within him is growing. It can be honed further into a great weapon through combat."

Tear frowned.

"He must fight something with every test? Beings like that boy earlier?"

Images flashed in Tear's mind, none of them pleasant. She'd been worried enough, a teenage boy forced to fight a being with power over fire . . . what was next? Since the boy Senel fought was found in the Fire Monument, that must mean . . .

Tear's voice was soft, almost inaudible.

"Senel's tests . . . they are held in the remaining monuments?"

Kratos nodded, not speaking. He stared into the horizon; on the inky black surface of the ocean, the reflection of the silvery blue moon rippled noiselessly.

Tear's mind was racing. Two more monuments meant two more tests. Ice and Thunder . . . people bearing those same elements. She closed her eyes, clenching her hands into fists. What did it mean? Kratos had said that while Senel's power was growing, there were people trapped in the monuments for times unheard of, and that Kratos was going to free them.

Would Senel fight them, too?

Kratos seemed to have read Tear's mind.

"I don't know why there are people connected to the monuments like Reno was. But," He gestured to the calm sea before them. "I have a feeling we'll get to know soon."

And night fell, a velvety blanket, over the Quiet Lands.

--

Walter had not planned on staying in Werites Beacon for long. It was a village of Orerines, abominations hailing from this infection of the sea that was land.

Sad to say, Walter had been flying for a while, across an entire continent, no less. Thusly, he was quite hungry. As he traveled through the town at evening, the townsfolk regarded him little. After all, with Crusand's war effort stopped, life on the Legacy continued as before. Walter, a Radiant, walking among them was nothing. The Radiant had allied themselves to the Holy Rexalian Empire before. To them, he was an ally still.

Walter would've liked nothing more than to show them all how very _wrong_ they were.

Instead, heeding his empty stomach's attempts to eat itself, Walter stopped at the local bakery to grab a bite to eat.

Upon entering the building, a small blur of white and red ushered him to an empty seat and table. Once Walter was forced into the chair, the blur was static enough to be identifiable.

A young girl dressed in baker's garb clapped her hands, her eyes postively sparkling. Walter repressed the urge to roll his eyes.

"Good evening! I'm Mimi, and I will be serving you tonight!"

"Soon all Orerines will serve the Ferines," Walter murmured inaudibly.

Mimi took no notice of Walter's little rant, instead taking something out of her pocket, a small pad of paper and a pen.

"Perfect evening for a cup of coffee and a nice freshly baked pastry! What will you be having tonight, sir?"

Walter looked at the menu framed on the wall near the counter. Indeed, coffee and a pastry sounded awfully good right now. His stomach grumbled, urging him to hurry up and make up his mind.

"I'll have the . . . cinnamon dolche latte, and an apple pastry."

Mimi scribbled the order down, smiling broadly. "Coming right up!" She squealed, zooming off in that blur of white and red.

Walter tapped his foot on the floor rhythmically, waiting. During his wait, another man entered the shop, the bell attached to the door ringing. Walter blinked, studying this stranger.

He was strange even by stranger standards.

Ferines have an innate ability, related to their teriques, to identify other Ferines.

Walter blinked again, stunned. This stranger not only wore Ferines-style clothing, but Walter couldn't figure out whether or not this man was truly a Ferines. Although Walter could sense the familiar aura of a Ferines, a part of it felt oddly . . ._ foreign._

Besides that, he was creepy. His face was ashen and gaunt, his eyes were narrow slits, and his hair, now a muddy grayish brown, looked like it might've been pale gold in a previous life.

The man's eyes locked with Walter's. Walter gave no visible of being startled. The man's thin lips stretched into what Walter supposed would be a friendly smile. Despite receiving no invitation, the man seated himself at Walter's table in the empty chair across him.

"Hello there," the man said, holding out a hand to Walter.

Walter stared at the hand, looked to the man. He took the outstretchend hand, shook it briefly.

"I'm Solon," said the man, "what's your name, sir?"

Walter maintained his expression of stone.

"Walter."

Walter would've been perfectly content to spend his wait in silence, but it seemed this Solon wasn't.

"Ah, yes, the Radiant Walter. You're quite famous here in Werites Beacon as a hero of sorts."

Here Walter stared at Solon. What was this man getting at? Solon continued, that smile still splashed on his face.

"Yes, the Radiant hero who took out so many of Vaclav's soldiers . . . they came in hordes, and you simply destoryed them. Marvelous."

Walter leaned back in his chair, arms folded across his chest. He was determined not to make eye contact. Even this slight conversation was making Walter uneasy about Solon.

Solon went on, oblivious to Walter's discomfort.

"Am I right in saying you're on a manhunt right now?"

Walter's lips parted slightly, but his voice had abandoned him. This Solon was quite the shady character. Walter didn't bear a fondness of any kind for shady characters.

"Of sorts. What's it to you?"

Solon grinned, folding his hands flat against the tabletop.

"Why, I'm on a manhunt of sorts myself. Who is your target?"

What was this man thinking, asking these kinds of questions to a Ferines! Still, it was perfectly possible that this Solon was a Ferines or at the very least related to them.

"A man who once conspired with Crusand to capture the Merines."

Walter had no obligation to say any more than that.

Solon clicked his tongue, as if disappointed.

"Seems you might not have seen who I'm looking for."

Mimi returned with Walter's order of food and drink. Walter breathed in the sweet aroma of freshly baked apple pastry, and the scent of the cream-topped coffee. He took the mug, sipping at the coffee.

"Who are you looking for, Solon?"

Solon's friendly smile turned into a devillish smirk.

"A boy who calls himself the Unseen."

--

Grune's headache had not returned during their first hour of wandering the dark dungeons, something Norma was grateful for. But she and Grune wandered this forboding place for an hour and hadn't yet come upon friend or foe. It was quite unnerving, two crystal erens, alone and vulnerable, in the dark no less . . . Norma clutched the lance tightly.

Nothing but row after row after row of empty cells. Nothing at all but endless winding hallways in the darkness. Something had to give.

"Ohh!" Norma stomped lightly on the ground, frustrated, "we're getting nowhere!"

Grune stopped walking, her expression one of surprise. "Oh!" She said softly.

Norma turned, eyebrow raised. "What's up, G-Girl?"

"It seems there's someone nearby."

"What?" Norma wildly looked around, seeing only empty cells. Then she heard it.

Someone was groaning nearby.

Grune and Norma carefully walked down the corridor, Norma before Grune, as she was the only one with a weapon. The groaning had originated in a cell just around the corner. It was dark, so it was hard for Norma to make out the shape of the person lying in the cell, his arm sticking out slightly at an odd angle. With horror Norma realized the arm was dislocated.

Norma shifted the spear so that she had one free hand. She concentrated, and a sphere of light appeared in her palm, hovering, producing a small amount of illumination equivalent to a flashlight.

The prisoner before them wore a red uniform. He was one of Vaclav's soldiers.

"Great." Norma's voice was heavy, "the only other person we've found so far is an enemy."

The soldier's head snapped upwards, seeing the women for the first time. He backed away from the barred door, screeching, "Get away, Radiant!"

Norma blinked, then understood. This poor soul was probably only a grunt soldier, she could tell by his uniform; a common soldier enlisted to aid his country. He was also let off on the light end of Walter's attacks, that much she guessed. Norma stepped forward, holding her light source so the soldier could see them properly.

"We're not with the Radiant. We're with the Holy Rexalian Empire."

That held true while they were on the Legacy, anyway.

The soldier seemed not to have comprehended Norma's words, instead muttering to himself like a madman.

"Dead, dead, all dead in one blow, and I'm the only left, they're gonna torture me and kill me . . ."

Norma shrugged, turning to look at Grune over her shoulder. "C'mon, G-Girl. Let's leave this lunatic to his ravings."

Grune grabbed Norma's shoulder, shaking her head. Norma quirked an eyebrow, not understanding what the older woman meant.

"Someone's coming,"

And indeed footsteps echoed faintly from beyond the dark hallway. Norma and Grune looked somewhere to hide, and found only empty cells all around. Snuffing out her light source, Norma dived into an empty cell, pulling Grune with her in the shadows. They pressed themselves against the smooth, partially spherical wall, waiting.

It was dark, but not pitch. The person they'd heard walked right before the soldier's cell, stopped. Norma suppressed a gasp. That old bat that rejected an alliance, the old codger that only saw in black and white.

Maurits had his back turned to Norma and Grune's hiding spot, facing the soldier.

"You," the old man snapped, and the soldier quit his ranting. "You were one of the operatives that participated in the Crusand operation to capture our Merines three years ago, no?"

Maurits was blocking Norma's field of view, so she couldn't see the reaction of the soldier. She presumed he must have made some gesture of agreement, for next Maurits said:

"Very well. Come with me; you're to meet that same Merines."

The Radiant unlocked the cell, sliding the door open. He roughly grabbed the soldier by the injured arm, and the soldier cried out in pain. Maurits noticed the dislocated arm, shrugged, and popped in back into place, leaving the soldier wailing.

Maurits walked off with the soldier in his firm grip, and the poor man could only follow like a dog led on a leash.

Norma peeped out the cell, at Maurits's retreating back. This man was using Shirley for his own ends, a young girl. Norma hadn't gotten to know Shirley very well, but this much she knew--Shirley could not be wishing for the destruction of all humanity.

Anger boiled within her. Without thinking her actions through, Norma leapt out her cell, gathering energy for a crystal eres.

"O lightless tempest from distant regions, stretch out they tenerous arms and lead my enemies to their eternal slumber!"

Maurits turned around, jaw agape. He hadn't known of these escaped prisoners. Norma finished her eres.

"Black Hole!"

Tendrils of darkness roped and snaked around Maurits's body as a mass of pitch darkness overtook him, crushing him. He released the soldier, who only lay on the ground, writhing in pain.

Norma grinned, momentarily satisfied. Maurits was an old man, what could he do?

Then that old man, staff in hand, began chanting for an eres.

"O deepest currents in the darkest ocean, come forth and crush these heretics!"

Norma cursed, fumbling around for a gel, only to remember that the Radiant had taken all their items and equipment at the time of imprisonment.

The air already got colder, the moisture building until Norma heard running water, great rivers gushing, foaming white rapids . . .

Norma gripped her lance tightly.

"Senny . . . get your ass up here!"

--

The seed had stopped speaking, presumably to conserve power. The seed had said Norma and Grune were somewhere in the dungeon, and in grave danger. It was decided that Chloe would take the lead with Giet, Moses in the middle with Norma's straw and Grune's urn, and Will brought up the rear.

The seed had power enough to hover before them, guiding them as a flash of dark blue light. They followed the seed the best they could as it flew and zipped down hallways and corridors, leaving them running to keep up.

They'd run into guards only a few times, but with Chloe's sword and Will's crystal eres, they were disposed of in no time. The seed didn't stop for battle, however, and running into Radiant guards proved a bother.

"We have to find Norma and Grune!" Will shouted, shouldering his iron hammer as he ran.

The seed didn't answer; speaking used up too much power.

They were led to a great circular chamber with a stairwell leading someplace with light. Chloe supposed it must be the exit. The seed stopped here, hovering, shining.

Chloe stood, panting from her running, confused. Grune and Norma clearly weren't here . . . why had the seed stopped?

_Snick._

There was a sliding, no, almost a clicking sound on the floor nearby. Chloe held her sword, looking in all directions for the source of the sound. Moses shouted, pointed to the staircase before them.

"There! Look!"

Standing at the landing, obscuring the promising light from above, throwing a great shadow over them, was a monster. Bipedal and on its hind legs, it stood about six feet tall. It was reptilian and its neck was a sharp S curve. It bore knife-like foreclaws and a sickle-shaped killing claw on each middle toe. It stood on powerfully muscled legs, balanced on a long, stiff tail.

It was colored a burnished gold, lighter on the underbelly. There was a splash of vivid red on its snout to match its crimson eyes, and its back, from neck to tail tip, was striped black.

Will inhaled sharply, disbelieving. He behaved similarly when they met the gaets of the Quiet Nerifes.

"Raptor," he said softly.

The raptor crouched, and Chloe saw what had been making the noise--it clicked on the floor with its killing claw almost rhythmically. A low growling noise resonated from deep within its throat, and its lips pulled back to bare ivory fangs.

"Back away from the stairs, everyone!" Will shouted, channeling energy through his hammer.

The others did as they were told, backed a safe distance, and not a moment too soon.

The raptor, still crouched, leapt with astounding speed and distance, down the stairs. It landed at the foot of the stairs, foreclaws and rows of sharp teeth bared. It hissed menacingly.

"What manner of monster is this?" Chloe asked, sword at the ready.

Will didn't answer, instead chanting an eres.

"A foolish soul entombed in death's chill grasp and rent by its teeth of lightning . . ."

Giet barked once, and Moses yelled, flailing his arms wildly.

"Will! Stop yer spell!"

Will did indeed stop, surprised. He stared at Moses, who rushed up to the monster, examining it. He slammed a fist in his open palm, screeching, "Ah ha!"

Moses turned to the group, pointing out a cloth tied to the raptor's neck. It was small, but it was there: a strip of fur, white, splayed with black stripes. It was the mark of Moses's beast tamer clan.

Chloe didn't lower her sword. "What does this mean, Sandor?"

Moses glanced up the stairs, and surely enough, another figure appeared there, human, and familiar.

"This here's Ven," Moses gave the raptor a fond stroke on the neck, "My buddy Csaba's beast!"

--

Hikaru: And that's a wrap! Sorry, I just had to stick another raptor in here! shot Seriously, though, we never got to see Csaba's beast. I mean, he was a beast tamer, right? And all beasts are dangerous . . . yep. I don't think Csaba's story with Ven is going to be a romantic one like Moses and Giet, something really simple. But the plot thickens! . . . Somewhat. Hope you liked it! Please review!


	11. Shining Bind

Hikaru: Oh, yeah . . . I forgot to mention this at the end of the last chapter . . . I described Solon as a person who could be a Ferines or related to a Ferines because the first time I saw him in the game, I thought he looked like one . . . eh, call me crazy, but there you go. Since you don't in fact get to know Solon's personal story beyond he was a bloodthirsty ninja who raised Jay, that leaves plenty for fanfiction!

--

Senel's illness only lasted for the night, much to Kratos's and Tear's relief. As soon as dawn broke, Kratos announced their next destination.

"We're heading for the Thunder Monument."

Senel, who had just finished the breakfast Tear cooked (tuna sandwich), groaned. He never did like the Thunder Monument the first time he visited it, and this time would be no different. Just standing on the panels that made up the floor gave him a strange tingling sensation, something that Will confirmed as a slight electric charge. The monsters there had the lightning attribute, a great nuisance. And traveling through the swirling cloud portals made Senel's insides churn.

"And after that, we're going . . . ?" Senel asked, although he already knew the answer.

Kratos nodded, his arms folded like he always had.

"The Ice Monument, yes."

Wonderful. Today they were going to a place where one can be shocked to death, and then going to a place where one could freeze to death.

Tear returned from the freshwater stream nearby, carrying the clean dishes. She never did seem to mind doing all the kitchen duty, along with cooking and healing. Senel stood, eyes fixed on the point on the horizon of the plains, where he knew the Thunder Monument to be. Hiking all the way from shore to there would undoubtedly take all day . . .

"All right!" Senel clapped his hands together once, heading for the grasslands. "Let's go!"

Heading to the Thunder Monument across the plains of the Quiet Lands took one by the towering elevator, something that pained Senel to see. Not too long ago, that was the very elevator that Will and the others used to get to the Mirage Palace with that sky tram. They had gone to stop Shirley, they, those chosen by the Quiet Nerifes. Senel had no doubts about Kratos and Tear helping him, but the old feelings kept gnawing at him.

It was strange. It felt as though the others had abandoned him. But they couldn't have, Senel knew that in his mind. If the Quiet Nerifes had chosen to bestow him with sacred eres, they would have taken him along, he would be with them right now in the Mirage Palace . . .

But how long had it been? A few days at least, that much was certain. Either the Mirage Palace was so huge that it took a while to get through, or . . . something may have happened to his old comrades. Surely the Mirage Palace served as a kind of base of operations for the Ferines now, and undoubtedly would be crawling with Ferines guards and automata.

Not to mention the Puzzle Booth they would have to encounter eventually . . .

Monsters on the plains were not as tough as the raptors near the Fire Monument had been. They were mostly galves, with a few base turtles and some smallish winged dragons in between. Though the battles were for the most part short thanks to Kratos and Tear, they provided a nice little distraction for Senel and his weirded out emotions right now.

Soon enough the Thunder Monument could be seen, a building set among a rocky path on the sea, perpetually covered with a blanket of dark storm clouds, teeming with lightning. The winds by that area were strong, too, although not so strong they threatened to blow Senel, Kratos, and Tear into the ocean, which was calm anyway.

Inside, the Thunder Monument was dismally dark. The grooves of power winding their way on the building paneling glowed an ominous gold, but didn't provide nearly enough illumination. The storm clouds did provide some light, but only because lightning coursed through them. The same held for the panels that generated the slight electric charge.

By themselves these things would not give off enough light to see anything in the Mounument, but together, Senel and the others could see, if only dimly.

"Lightning based spells are a big no-no here, I suppose," Kratos said upon entering the Monument, half-shrugging.

"Not like you'll need them anyway," Senel replied, starting out on the paneling. Kratos was strong enough, with or without his spells.

They walked along the panels for a while, teleporting through the storm clouds. After passing through each storm portal, Kratos and Tear had to wait for Senel's insides to stop wanting to leap out his throat. Tear understood, such unnatural movements would leave one a little nauseous.

They were almost upon the doorway into the inner part of the Monument when Tear stopped, signaling for Kratos and Senel to follow suit. A storm portal nearby was particularly swollen with lightning energy, and Senel knew what that meant.

"Oh, no . . ."

Kratos drew his sword, though he didn't know what Senel meant. He and Tear only knew that danger was at hand.

Senel's fears were confirmed, as a creature stepped out of the portal. Huge, covered in ebony scales glimmering with lightning, gold crests upon its back and wings at its shoulders, a long tail, rows of ivory fangs set into a head on a long, serpentine neck . . .

The storm dragon roared, lightning dancing on its set of golden horns.

"Stay clear of the dragon's breath!" Kratos warned, and with a pang Senel was reminded of Will.

--

After his meal at the bakery and grudgingly paying his tab, Walter had no mind other than to get back to his job. However, on his way to the lighthouse to get to the Fallen Lands, he seemed to have acquired a new shadow, one that was, quite frankly, pissing him off.

"Solon, why are you following me?" Walter asked for the umpteenth time, turning to face Solon, who only stood there, looking innocent. As innocent as a bloodthirsty ninja could be, anyway. It was rather interesting to know that Solon was the leader of a prominent ninja guild, and trained all its members single-handedly and effectively. It was another thing entirely to have said leader dogging his every footstep like a lost puppy.

"I'm very well connected in means of gathering information," Solon stated cheerfully, "and my latest source tells me that my son is involved in your Merines business."

Walter had no fondness for Jay the Unseen, the one Solon was searching for. Walter felt that Solon addressing Jay as his son was wrong, though. Solon had said that he raised Jay from infancy to be an elite member of his assassin guild, only he had gone AWOL six years ago. If Jay was so important, why was Solon only searching now?

Oh, well.

"You won't find your _son _here with me," Walter hissed venomously, "for last I saw him he was in the Mirage Palace."

Solon shook his finger, as if scolding Walter. "Ah, ah, ah. How do you think Jay and his friends managed to get within the supposedly unattainable Mirage Palace?"

Walter resisted the urge to punch Solon in the face. He may be connected with the Ferines, but this guy sure was pushing it. Of course Walter knew how those filthy Orerines had managed to infect the palace.

"The tram in the Fallen Lands." Walter said through clenched teeth. "How else?"

Solon grinned, showing off perfectly white teeth, something that surprised Walter, given how gaunt and aged the rest of Solon was.

"And just where, or who, might he go to when he escapes from the Palace?" Solon evidently was enjoying this immensely.

The name jumped at Walter in his mind, and right out his throat. "Senel."

Solon clapped good-naturedly, walking on ahead of Walter on the garden path. The lighthouse was not far off now, only a short walk.

"And there you have it." Solon said, still grinning.

So their goals, for now, only collided this instance because Jay and Senel happened to be friends. Solon was not interested in any business of the Ferines's, especially not with the second Cataclysm Maurits was so hell bent on. Walter wouldn't admit it outright, but he was relieved. Solon was creepy, related to the Ferines or not. If Solon had any plans to interact with the Ferines, or even worse, the Merines herself, Walter knew he would have to stop Solon.

But why was Jay so special? If the assassin guild Solon led was so elite, then surely he had at least a handful of ninja picked out to replace the AWOL Jay. Walter had a nagging feeling it was related to the fact Jay seemed immune to the Curse element. But even that didn't seem so special in the grand scheme of things, unless Solon had plans to assault the demon realm with his guild.

Walter shook his head, those thoughts with it. He followed Solon on the garden path, eventually passing him by to go into the lighthouse, the elevator to the Fallen Lands. He had orders to follow, and an Orerines to hurt beyond reckoning.

--

Maurits raised his staff.

"Rogue Wave!"

Norma cursed loudly. She'd heard of rogue waves before, also known as freak waves, on the mainland. Her parents had friends that sailed, and rogue waves were a rare occurence, but extremely deadly. Tidal waves at sea, if you will.

Before, she knew they had not drowned when Walter used Tidal Wave on them because she sensed a cut in the power flow right before it hit.

And she was pretty damn sure Maurits would not pull his punches.

Oh, what should they do? What should they do!?

At this time, Grune took Norma's lance, her voice taking on eerie undertones, layered, echoing, as she chanted for an eres.

"O hellion whose roar chills the very soul resound!"

Norma could smell the salt water now. In this tiny little hallway, the water would carry them, surely, but where they would end up was a mystery . . . and whether or not they would survive.

Norma could feel Curse energy surrounding Grune, although she was building up for a familiar spell, it seemed much, much, stronger than it normally was.

Grune raised the lance, the spearhead pointing at Maurits.

"Bloody Howling!"

A great mass of Curse energy manifested on Maurits, crushing him underneath its weight, he dropped his staff and screamed. That's right. Radiant, beings of the waters of the Sea, were weak to the most unholy element, Curse.

But that would not stop the spell from forming now. She saw the water rushing on from the hallways beyond, much like the rivers in the Waterways had. Norma flung herself at Grune, hands positioned to perform the shield effect they had failed to do last time they fought a Radiant.

"Guardian!" she screamed, and the green globes formed around herself and Grune, shielding them.

If she had waited any later, she wouldn't have made it. A powerful rush of ocean water crashed into them, sweeping them away from the injured Maurits and the grunt soldier. Rows upon rows of cells rushed past them, and Norma had trouble keeping up the shield. Even after what felt like hours, the water kept pounding powerfully on the globes, threatening to crush them under the pressure.

At last, when the strain on her body and mind would have Norma giving up on the shield, the waters lost power, and it was safe enough to drop the shield. The water, however, had nowhere convienent to escape to, and thusly filled the halls. The water was not terribly deep, only up to her knees, but it sure made moving a bit harder.

Norma inhaled and exhaled deeply, smelling nothing more than salt water.

"Okay, G-Girl . . ." Norma began.

Grune knelt in the water, panting heavily, hands pressed to her head.

"G-Girl!" Norma shrieked.

She was about to cast another Revive on Grune, when an echo sounded from nearby halls. It sounded like an answering call.

--

This was quite a surprise. Chloe could only stare on as Csaba leapt down the stairs, exclaiming his gratitude that Moses and Giet were all right and dandy and that he couldn't sit idly in Werites Beacon at a time like this. Ven, recognizing Giet and her master's confirmation that these people were in fact friends, not foes, dropped her offensive demeanor and replaced the hisses with an odd purring sound.

The seed composed of ice shone brightly, and voice of Celsius visited them once more.

_"Enough. We must go now. Now!"_

The seed zoomed off in the hallways, much more urgent that it had before. Chloe and Will exchanged glances.

"Let's go!"

Running into Radiant guards from then on proved nothing. Some had automata, but even them were scared at one look at the combined team of Giet and Ven, a grand galf and a raptor, a creature seldom seen, to boot.

With Celsius moving at the pace it had, it was hard to keep up, and Chloe could not help worrying. The seed said before that Grune and Norma were in danger. What had befallen them? Did they run into a squad of Radiant or even worse, a band of automata?

There was no time for battle even if the guards had the guts to. The party, with the beasts in the lead, followed by Chloe, Csaba, Moses, and Will bringing up the rear, had their hands (feet, rather) full trying to keep up with the seed.

Finally, after passing through countless halls and corridors, the air got almost oppressively colder, and a vaguely familiar voice chanting, echoing down the halls.

Chloe couldn't quite tell what words were being spoken, but she caught something about deep ocean currents and heretics. With a pang she realized who this must be. Well, not who, exactly, but from the feel of the atmosphere and the words she heard, a Radiant was charging up for a Sea based crystal eres. If the Radiant in question had found Norma and Grune, escaped prisoners (which she didn't doubt), then the seed was quite right in getting there ASAP.

Another voice echoed from the dark halls beyond, a female one that sounded like Grune's, but Chloe wasn't certain. Curse energy mingled with the large amounts gathered for the Sea type eres, and Chloe knew that indeed Norma and Grune must be fighting a Radiant.

An ear-splitting scream followed up, a male's. Chloe felt her lips pull into a smirk. Grune's Curse eres never were fragile lilies in the garden.

Then she heard it. Rushing water, and the air smelled pungently salty.

Her legs turned to lead, and Chloe stopped dead in her tracks, the others, even the beasts, following suit. Will must've guessed what was happening.

"Everyone, grab something!"

Lucky there were so many cells nearby. Chloe sheathed her sword, latched herself to the nearest cell door, arms wrapped in a vice grip around the bars. Giet and Ven managed themselves quite well, too, or better than Chloe initially thought. Will had grabbed the door of the cell beside Chloe's, and Csaba and Moses attached themselves to another one near the beasts.

Then it came.

Rushing surges of sea water came at them with amazing power and speed, Chloe was almost ripped from her place on the cell door. She was shocked that her beret managed to stay on her head. The rivers of water gushed at them almost perpetually, in strong bursts. The waters were trying to rip them from their perches, to sweep them away into watery oblivion.

As she clung to the bars, something green and round flashed by briefly. She thought nothing of it, but Giet and Ven barked and squawked at it. Csaba stared at his beast, not understanding, and Moses had his hands full (quite literally) holding Norma's straw and Grune's urn while keeping himself attached to the cell door.

This time, it was not Will, but Celsius's seed that revealed the thing of importance. It hovered, shining ominously.

_"There! There goes my master and your friend!"_

"What do you mean?" Will shouted over the waves.

_"Know you those force globes?" _The seed asked, almost innocently.

Will gaped like yams fresh from the dirt. "Norma and Grune!"

Chloe coughed up seawater. In her shock, she had accidentally swallowed some. So Norma and Grune had power enough to use Guardian to defend against this eres? That was good news. They must catch up once the waves quiet.

Finally, after what felt like eternity, the waves did calm, the displaced water become harmless, coming up to their knees. Chloe got off the cell door, flexing her fingers and limbs. They were stiff; she had clenched the door rather tightly.

The seed had gone, persumably after Grune and Norma.

Chloe shouted at the dark halls down which the green globes had disappeared.

"Norma! Grune!"

--

"I'm not gonna give it time to breathe!" Senel shouted as he charged after the storm dragon. Storm dragons were known for, like other dragons, breathing the elements, but how did a dragon breathe electricity?

Using his fists on a dragon would be ineffective, so Senel stuck to mostly harrassing the beast with blows aimed at its feet and tail. Kratos slashed away at the dragon's sturdy carapace, deep grooves marking where Kratos cut. It wouldn't be long before Kratos had shattered the scales of the dragon. Tear, meanwhile, stood at the back, casting spells and singing her hymns.

"O violent strains that render demons to ashes . . . _Va Neu Va Rei Va Neu Va Zue Rei . . ."_

Senel heard the hymn, and he dashed from the dragon. Kratos did not stop attacking, although he backed quite a distance as well. Demon Fang and Demon Fist served them well here. Pillars of flame rained upon the dragon, and it roared at its burns, tongues of lightning shooting out its mouth. Tear lowered her staff, breathing deeply.

"Kratos!"

Kratos nodded, rushed up to the dragon, sword raised. Senel was about to ask what they were doing, when Kratos's next action rendered it unneccessary.

Kratos held up his sword, and it began to glow brightly. A glyph appeared underfoot, and a column of light burst, the dragon roaring as one of its wings was severed by the blast of energy.

"Wh-what was that!?" Senel squeaked as the dragon stood up, still ready for more.

Kratos didn't answer right away, instead charging for a spell.

"Eruption!"

The floor burst with heat energy, and the dragon fell, badly burned, badly wounded. Tear finished off the monster.

"Holy Lance!"

Just like it had with the flesh eating horse, the spears composed of light ran through the dragon, blood spurting everywhere.

Senel sputtered half-formed questions at Kratos even as Tear produced the hymn of healing. Kratos smiled.

"Shining bind," was all he said.

Thereafter, no more monsters like the storm dragon had interrupted their venture into the Monument. As they rested in the second antechamber, munching on another meal Tear cooked, Senel made a mental note not to get on Kratos's bad side. He sure didn't want to be on the receiving end of this Shining Bind attack.

--

Hikaru: Whoot! I had planned at first for Kratos to use his Judgment, but that shall wait until later. Jay will be making an appearance soon, don't worry. The Third Test is close at hand, too! I hope you liked it! Please review!


	12. The Third Test

Hikaru: Through the mists, through the woods, through the darkness of the shadows, it's nightmare, but it's one exciting ride

--

The cylindrical tank room in the Thunder Monument looked no different than it had before. Senel, recalling the event at the Fire Monument only a day before, looked up the flights of stairs to the deepest part of the Monument where Kratos's next test was to take place. Would he fight another poor soul trapped within the Monument?

Kratos seemed to read his fears.

"This one's clever. He managed to get out on his own."

And undoubtedly this person would bear the element of lightning. Senel wondered, would he be able to withstand such an opponent? But before, when he was doomed to fall to his death when the Terrors had thrown him from the cliff, Stella had saved him. Harriet had said before that Senel was floating down the cliff in an orb of reddish gold light. In the Ruins of Frozen Light, too, Senel's comrades had said that they were saved by a gold teriques.

Was Stella watching over him now? Would she again help him in his times of distress?

There was only one thing to do. Keep moving forward.

Upon reaching the third stair landing, Senel had expected to see the same cylindrical tank Reno Cauda Draconis was trapped in. He blinked twice over, not expecting what he saw. Instead of resembling the innermost chamber at the Fire Monument, this chamber was quite different.

Indeed, it seemed as if this room was transformed into a computer lab. It was filled with strange machines Senel had never seen the likes of, and in the center of the room, on a floating chair, was the presumable opponent of Senel's test.

He was dressed in a long white coat with somewhat casual clothing underneath (a navy blue tie with a white collared shirt, black belt, dark blue pants and shoes). Glasses perched on his nose, he was crowned with short hair that shone a metallic sheen of purple, and even his skin was a soft, really light purple. His eyes, however, were navy blue.

A name was embroidered on the white coat in silver thread.

_Hoseia Tempestas_

At the moment Hoseia was busy typing away on a keyboard, paying little attention to his surroundings. The screens on the thin-monitored computers displayed what looked like graphs or scales, as if Hoseia were gathering data or measuring something.

Senel looked at Kratos, silently asking what to do. Kratos half-shrugged, then cleared his throat.

Hoseia didn't stop typing.

"Yes, I see you there. Hang on a moment."

While Senel waited with Kratos and Tear, he heard Hoseia murmuring to himself, something about the Monuments, how much time had passed, and whether or not other people had survived the rains. Senel quirked an eyebrow. Reno, too, had mentioned something about rain. Was there a giant flood or something?

Finally, after what felt like hours, Hoseia stopped his data gathering, or whatever it was he was doing. He turned to face his visitors on the floating chair, legs crossed, hands folded over his lap.

"And you are . . .?"

Senel gestured to Kratos and Tear, about to introduce them, when Hoseia shook his head, interrupting.

"No, I know those two. I'm asking you."

Senel stepped forward, hands already clenching into fists. "My name is Senel Coolidge."

Hoseia studied Senel for a time, his eyes lingering mostly on the jewel on Senel's hand, the gift from Kratos.

"Yes. You must be the one . . . indeed."

Hoseia leapt from his chair to the floor, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose when they slipped. A holographic screen appeared to Hoseia, and he typed some more. He spoke softly as he typed, half to himself, half to those who weren't in the know.

"All right, I see, this is how the storm gaet appeared in this room . . . a dimension like that would be well-suited to this battle, as I don't want to damage the equipment . . ."

Once he entered the last few keystrokes, the room became one of complete darkness, uncannily like the environment the Quiet Nerifes called when a gaet approached. Senel looked around wildly, and saw Kratos and Tear were here as well, but a distance away, to watch the fight. Senel turned his attention back to Hoseia, who clicked again on the holographic screen and it disappeared.

Did Hoseia fight with his fists?

"All right . . ." Senel assumed his fighting stance, "Let's go!"

--

The trip into the Fallen Lands via the elevator was uneventful, or at least that was how Walter would have preferred it. Since the trip down was a long way, of course the elevator would take a while to get down there, and Walter was on the elevator platform, trapped with his new shadow--er, Solon.

The elevator shaft was paneled with a material so one on the elevator could see the lands below, and the calm sea lapping at its shores. Walter scowled at it. The Legacy was of Orerines make, those other worlders. Once the Orerines had learned of the existence of Nerifes, the will of the sea, they took it upon themselves to construct this place, an imitation of Nerifes.

Walter didn't know the whole story, or even the details, but Maurits told the tale about the Fallen Lands once before:

_The Orerines then constructed the Monuments, using scions of the elements to generate power. Using the power of the energy crystals they had, the imitation of Nerifes was born, a false will that caters to the wishes of the Orerines. This imitation of Nerifes was used during the wars between the Orerines and the Ferines, to give the Orerines the abilities to use the blessings of Nerifes. When our armies fell before this new menace, it was then the Merines had used her power to bring forth the Cataclysm. _

Well, it was more a recount of how the Cataclysm came about, but it was all they had to go by after four thousand years of retelling.

"The Fallen Lands, you say." Solon said in that hearty voice of his, beaming. "That tribe of talking sea otters calls it the Quiet Lands."

Walter sighed, rubbing his temple. "The Ferines refer to it as the Fallen Lands because we cannot use the blessings of Nerifes down there."

Meaning fighting with Senel this time might not be so easy, but since it was the wish of the Merines to speak with Senel, Walter knew she wouldn't "rescue" him this time.

Solon only chuckled to himself, as if thrilled with the prospect of finding his "son." The elevator still had a ways to go, so Walter decided to ask the question nagging at him ever since he first laid eyes on Solon.

"Solon, are you of the Ferines?"

Solon's grin didn't falter. "Me? A Radiant?"

Even though Maurits was old, too, his hair had not lost its golden sheen the way Solon's apparently had. And there was no way any elderly Ferines had the same ashen, gaunt face that was almost sunken in. And since Solon referred to the Ferines as the Radiant, in the Orerines way, Solon might have no idea he might belong to the Ferines.

Walter nodded, feeling a little less resentful of Solon. "Yes, you. You might've looked it more when you were young, and you wear Ferines garb."

Granted, the color scheme was not exactly the same, but the material looked similar enough, and the design as well. Hell, Solon even accented his accessories like the Ferines did. Idly Walter wondered if Solon didn't have the red tassel hidden somewhere on him as well.

"I was never a part of the main tribe myself," Solon began, expression never changing, "however, my parents fit the bill for the Radiant perfectly. Or at least one of them . . ."

Ah-ha. That would explain the foreign part of Solon's aura Walter sensed. Either one of his parents was half Ferines or completely foreign. Walter wondered. His intense hatred for the Orerines was put aside for his curiosity. Would a Ferines who was half Orerines have all the same powers as a pureblooded Ferines? Maybe that was why Solon didn't quite resemble the Ferines. Did he have a teriques?

Despite Solon being raised as an Orerines and being creepy besides, Walter felt an upsurge of a positive feeling toward him. Not affection, but not sympathy, either.

"Do you feel as though you belong in the main tribe?" Walter asked. They must be nearing the end of the shaft now; he could feel the imitation Nerifes sapping his power.

Solon shrugged, that Cheshire Cat grin never leaving his face.

"Personally, I don't care. All that matters to me now is getting my son back."

Walter was shocked, his eyes wide, mouth agape. Never before had a fellow Ferines refused an offer to return to the tribe, and Walter had been particularly generous, inviting a . . . half-breed!

Walter clenched his fists, trying to keep them at his sides and prevent them from pummeling every inch of Solon they could reach.

"How can you say that? After all the Orerines have done to us, over the course of four thousand years . . . !"

Solon shook his head. "Isn't your Merines taking care of that now? Take me into the tribe or not, the choice is yours. Don't forget," that grin widened into a smirk, "I was raised by my father, the Orerines counterpart to my Radiant mother."

"No, I certainly won't!" Walter shouted, and the elevator stopped, having reached its destination. Unbidden Walter's infamous black teriques flowered from his back, and he resisted another urge to throw a teriques at Solon.

Instead, he took his leave, soaring over the Fallen Lands, searching for Senel.

He really needed an outlet now.

--

The tearful reunion hadn't been as happy as Chloe initially imagined. When they got to Norma and Grune, they found Grune to be in severe pain, holding her head as if suffering a migraine. Will of course didn't hesitate to lend Grune his healing eres, and Norma followed suit once she composed herself. After a while Grune was all right.

The two female crystal erens were given their equipment back, and the ice seed hovered above them, glimmering its dark blue.

_"You all have helped save my master. I thank you all."_

And with that, it stopped glowing, descending into Grune's urn with a small clinking noise.

Chloe heaved a sigh. "Well, now what?" Indeed the time had come for more planning. Initially the plan had been to regroup and stay alive during the process, and now that had been accomplished.

Moses turned to Csaba. "Why're you here, Csaba?"

The younger beast tamer patted his beast fondly. "Told you, I couldn't stay idle. I wanted to help you out. And Ven and I," the raptor purred, "are at your side!"

Will sighed, leaning on his hammer. "There is still our original intention of stopping the Merines from bringing forth the second Cataclysm. We have new allies," here Csaba beamed beside Ven, "so we should be better off, assuming we won't face Walter again."

Norma snapped her fingers, smiling. "And we knocked out old man Maurits!"

Chloe stared, surprised. "That was who you were fighting?"

Will looked up sharply. "What was Maurits doing down here?"

Indeed, Chloe agreed with Will. There was no way an important figure such as Maurits, a co-leader of the Radiant, would personally come down here to deal with a prison break. Norma shrugged.

"I dunno, he was fetching this soldier from Vaclav's army taken prisoner, saying he was part of the Crusand operation to capture Shirl three years ago and that Maurits was going to bring him to her."

Moses quirked an eyebrow, scratching his head. "What's he mean by doin' that?"

Chloe folded her arms, thinking. She voiced her thoughts aloud, perhaps they would help.

"Shirley is hesitant to activate the Wings of Light right away, and Raynard and I already confirmed that Coolidge is the reason. But how would that soldier convince Shirley to activate the Wings of Light?"

If only Jay were here; the Unseen did specialize in information dealing, after all, and he figured out pieces of the puzzle the others had not the foggiest idea. By now the boy would probably have an accurate vision of the current goings-on, putting them all to shame. But Jay was not here; he had escaped, and presumably now was on his way to get to Senel.

"There's a reason for that."

Chloe started; she had expected Will to talk next, with some sense of what was happening. Instead, she, and all the others, turned with a very stunned expression, to look at none other than Csaba.

"Jay left me with a letter, sent by Giet, before you all came here to deal with the Merines. When Walter led you to Vaclav's fortress to do away with you all, you discovered a series of books, one of which was kept by Senel?"

Chloe nodded, mirroring what the others were doing now. Csaba continued.

"The notebook was a list of operatives under the Crusand Empire that had worked to capture the Merines three years ago. Senel wouldn't let Jay see what was inside, it said in the letter, but it didn't stop Jay from figuring out why. Vaclav seemed to know Senel, and well," Csaba shrugged, "you can't keep squat from the Unseen. Senel was a war orphan in Crusand, and somebody found out he was an eren, and he was enlisted in Vaclav's army. Three years ago--" Csaba was cut off midsentence.

"What?!" Chloe, Norma, Will, and Moses exclaimed simultaneously. Grune was spacing out again. Norma flailed her arms. "You're saying Senny was in Vaclav's army!? That can't be true!"

Csaba raised his hands in defense. "This is all from Jay, y'know? Anyway, three years ago, Senel was to infiltrate a village of the Radiant on the mainland, to get close to Shirley, and run off with her to Crusand. But he couldn't. One day Vaclav got impatient and attacked the village, capturing Stella. The other Radiant were brought to the Legacy, I think. So anyway, Senel became an Alliance Marine from then on, with Shirley, and the rest is history."

Will pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose; they were slipping. "What a dirty trick . . . Senel is the person closest to Shirley. Maurits probably got that soldier as a witness that Senel in fact betrayed her because of that incident three years ago and that he's an Orerines."

"But we knocked out Maurits! So he can't do that . . . right?" Norma looked around at her comrades.

Chloe stomped once on the ground, demanding everyone's attention, which she got.

"We must stop Shirley now, before Maurits gets a chance to get to her!"

And with that, they mobilized and moved out.

--

Hoseia did not fight with his fists. He used a weapon that materialized out of what looked like pure energy alone, a lance. Upon seeing Senel's confused expression, Hoseia smiled, providing the explanation. The weapon was in fact made of pure energy, stored within his own body for him to use at any time. This was called the Contamination Effect.

"And now," Hoseia swung his lance once, "let us begin!"

Hoseia was a much more able fighter than Senel had initially expected. He parried Senel's blows well, and managed to get a few cuts on Senel by the lance in the beginning of the fight.

It only got more intense as Senel began to use eres.

"Phoenix Strike!"

Hoseia dodged the attack, holding his lance before him in a stance Senel knew well. The embodiment of lightning was casting a spell. Yellow lines drew themselves underneath their feet to form a glyph, and electricity danced along them. Senel had to stop the spell. He threw a Demon Fist and came crashing towards Hoseia with a Wyrm Crush, but he was again, simply dodged.

Hoseia pointed at Senel, shouting,

"Electrum!"

A single bolt of lightning appeared before Hoseia, and, drawing a line between he and Senel, cracked into life, striking Senel with powerful electrical energy. Senel was thrown back, floored. His vision swam and even then Hoseia approached, spear raised, blade pointing downward.

Dizzy, Senel leapt back to his feet, though clumsily. Hoseia started, as if surprised, and that moment was all Senel needed. He charged, despite his still unfocused field of vision.

"Whirlwind Blast!"

Hoseia had thrown his arms before him in an effort to protect himself, dropping his spear, which clattered on the floor. He was launched up in the air by Senel's almost acrobatic attacks, and in quick succession his defense failed. Senel was sure not to hit his face, though. Shattered glass in your face was no fun.

Senel landed on his feet, but Hoseia landed hard on his back, his glasses askew. He laughed, grabbed his lance, and used it as leverage to get back to his feet. Without his glasses, he seemed to able to see well.

"Very good! To think you'd get me like that after you've been hit with that spell . . . haha! You truly are a survivor of the Old World!" He pointed his lance at Senel again, prepared for more combat. Senel, however, lowered his fists.

"What do you mean by 'old' world? Before the Ferines and Orerines interacted?"

But that was absurd. Humans can't live that long; the Orerines and Ferines met four thousand years ago!

Hoseia shook his head. He rummaged in his pocket, withdrawing a stone gleaming golden yellow. It was shaped as a cube, and bore many grooves on it. He tossed it to Senel, who caught it.

"You're telling me that doesn't ring a bell?" Hoseia asked, gesturing to the stone.

Senel's hands tingled with the electric shock that came with this charged stone. He opened his mouth to ask what this stone meant, when he dropped it to hold his head. White hot pain seared through his skull, it felt as if something within were trying to blast it apart. He fell to his knees, trying to get his bearings, seeing stars. Hoseia approached him, knelt and picked up his stone, pocketing it.

"I see it does," Hoseia stated as a matter of factly. "The powers of the gem are truly astounding. Trying to revive memories long lost . . ."

Whatever else Hoseia said or might have said, Senel had gone deaf to him. All that mattered to him was the searing pain in his head that threatened to leave him unconscious on the ground. He wondered if he would end up like Grune because of this, cursed with short-term memory loss.

Kratos's voice cut through the haze of pain.

"Healing Stream!"

Blue light washed over Senel, and the pain numbed, but only a little. He noticed his left hand was glowing with a white light tinged with red. He heard footsteps rushing toward him, and knew it must be Kratos and Tear.

Tear sang a hymn.

"O magnificent song of angels . . . _Va Rei Zue Toue Neu Toue Ryuo Toue Kuroa . . ."_

The pain finally ebbed away, but something else nagged Senel in the back of his mind. Angel's song . . . He shrugged it off. It was not important right now.

Kratos spoke to Hoseia.

"You've both done well. Now kindly take us back."

Hoseia obliged, but only after retrieving his glasses. The holographic screen appeared again, and within a few keystrokes, they were standing back in the room turned lab.

The embodiment of the lightning element sunk back into his floating chair, returning to his computers, typing away so that his fingers were mere flashes over the keyboard. Senel, leaning heavily on Tear, stared, not comprehending what just happened. Kratos gestured to the doorway.

"Go on ahead. I'll catch up."

Senel opened his mouth to protest when Tear shook her head, steering him toward the doorway. Recognizing defeat, Senel obeyed. He was still a little shaky after that electric spell, and had a bit of difficulty getting down the stairs. Tear was helping him, though.

Kratos stepped toward Hoseia, arms folded across his chest like he always had.

"Did you know he would react that strongly to the stone?"

Hoseia nodded absently.

"I had a guess. Since you've been drawing out the power of the crystal using your little gift, it's only a matter of time until he regains his proper power and memory, as is his birth right. But . . ." he removed his glasses, wiping them with his coat, "why are you getting involved in this second Cataclysm business?"

There was nothing but silence for a time, save Hoseia working on the computers. Kratos's jaw worked, nothing of speech coming out. Why, indeed? Ever since Kratos encountered Hoseia not too long ago, the memories came rushing back to him, four thousand years he thought he'd put behind him.

Finally, Kratos worked up the strength to speak.

"The warring between Orerines and Ferines has gone on long enough. Besides, it is the best way to convince Senel to ally himself with me and to draw out his power."

Hoseia smiled, glancing at Kratos, eyes brightly lit.

"That is practical like you. Or maybe, like Yuan said, you're just turning soft."

Kratos chose to ignore that last comment, turning instead toward the doorway. He took his leave, and Hoseia didn't mind, continuing to work on his machines. Indeed, there was no way Kratos could ignore the Orerines and Ferines conflict. It had lasted four thousand years . . . back to the Ancient War on his own homeland. It was too much like that time, too much . . .

Kratos would help Senel put an end to this, once and for all.

--

Hikaru: I had planned for this battle to last a little longer, but . . . eh, other things came into play. Jay didn't make it into this chapter, but I did drop a hint relating to what might happen when Jay does finally make it to the Quiet Lands . . . a big hint if you've done or know Jay's CQ. I also dropped a significant number of hints this chapter about the third game crossed over with this. Anyway, hoped you like it and please review!


	13. Regroup

Hikaru: I would like to draw an actual diagram of what Walter and Stella's teriques look like close up. I have a diagram of Shirley's teriques close up (or TelKes, in true Relares or Monument Language), so I plan to use that as a sort of reference. I'm replaying the game right now, so when I meet Walter again with his teriques showing, I'll be sure to memorize the shape. Stella's we all know well enough by now, but I think I remember seeing an in-game wing form of Stella's teriques. Maybe I'll make up teriques for Maurits and Solon, while I'm at it.

--

Only one Monument to go. Only one Monument to go. Senel kept echoing those words in his mind as he lay eagle-sprawled on the earth, his strength not quite returning. Even hours after the battle, going into evening to night, Senel still felt the after effects of the, what was it? Electrum spell. Kratos had decided to set up camp near the Thunder Monument, as the shore where the Oresoren made camp was too far away. Besides, they'd be closer to the Ice Monument in the morning, by which time Kratos predicted Senel would recover.

If all the tests were held in the Monuments, then wouldn't it be true to assume Senel had only one test left to go? Still, he didn't want to think about treking through the Ice Monument once again. Kratos knew some fire magic, so perhaps he'd be willing to oblige to generate warmth? Senel doubted it somehow, recalling Kratos's words about wasting energy for comfort.

Something nagged at Senel. Hoseia had said, during their fight in the Thunder Monument, something about Senel's memories being long lost. That was silly. Senel wasn't like Grune, cursed with short term memory loss. Of course there were parts of his past he couldn't remember; he'd only been, what, five or six years old back then? Who could remember anything when they were that young?

Even as Senel kept telling himself this, the empty feeling that he had forgotten something important wouldn't leave him. That, and his left hand would not stop aching. Senel halfheartedly wished that Tear were awake so he could ask her to put Nightmare on him.

Granted, the hymn might very well give him nightmares, but as long as he could sleep . . .

There was nothing special about his past, he was just unlucky. He'd been a war orphan, and some person seeking personal gain had to blab to Vaclav that they'd discovered a gifted eren, and handed him over, getting their pockets fat with Gald.

Well, the one good thing about his being an eren so young was that the other soldiers left him alone. No hazing whatsoever, and what's more, they depended on him on the battlefield, for Crusand's greedy wars of gain . . .

Senel shook his head. He did not want to remember his near lifelong service to Crusand. Hell, he hoped he was not of Crusand natal orgin. Maybe he was from Gadoria, or even the Holy Rexalian Empire.

Finally, after dwelling on the subject for another half hour, he felt his eyelids begin to droop and he at last fell into sleep.

--

This tram was something. It needed no driver, no pilot to guide it which way to go. All one had to do was pick a destination, and sit back and enjoy the ride. Jay's particular compartment had windows, so he watched the scenery flash by.

In the beginning of the ride, all the scenery was of the ground tunnels. Abruptly it changed, and Jay could see the Quiet Lands up ahead as the tram came to rest at the station at the foot of the elevator.

"Next stop," Jay murmured to himself as he stepped off the tram, a cool breeze greeting him.

He never thought he'd be back here. It was commonly thought that after dealing with Shirley, whether or not she survived, the Radiant would abandon their hopes of creating another Cataclysm and life on the Legacy would resume as it was before. Of course, Jay didn't think Walter would beat them like he did. Now, where could Senel be . . .?

Since he was left behind, and safest in the Quiet Lands, Jay imagined that Senel would have nothing better to do than camp out on the beach, waiting for everyone else to return.

Jay smiled slightly. How thrilled would Senel be to learn that his comrades needed his help after all, regardless of what the Quiet Nerifes had to say about him. Of course, he wouldn't be too happy that the others managed to get themselves captured in the bargain, but oh, well.

Jay started out to the beach at a run.

-

How had this happened? There was no reason for this shore to be devoid of life . . . no reason at all!

Jay looked wildly around the deserted beach camp, searching desperately for any sign of Senel. Damn! Jay scuffed the sand with his feet, angry. Just when they needed Senel's help, he decided to go wander! Senel might not be able to use eres topside, but even his brute strength would be most welcome now.

"Senel Coolidge!" Jay called, wandering around the beach, looking for his old comrade. He found no one, nothing. Even by the hot spring near the shore, he found nothing. However, he did find evidence that the camp was used recently, only a day or so before. Meaning Senel must've been here until yesterday, when he suddenly took it upon himself to go adventuring in the Quiet Lands.

Jay looked to the sea, lapping in a tranquil way on the shore. Senel had been rather devastated when it was obvious he couldn't accompany Jay and the others to go stop Shirley. He was still taking Stella's death pretty hard, too. In fact, maybe he'd had enough of waiting and gone off to the Mirage Palace himself. Jay shook his head, no. He would've seen Senel somewhere in the Palace, since it was apparent Senel had left only yesterday.

In fact, Jay wouldn't have been surprised if Senel had thrown himself into the ocean, either to drown or to try appealing to the Quiet Nerifes one last time.

Jay flexed his fingers, curious. Eres was a way to communicate with Nerifes. Those not of the proper vessel to hear the voice of the sea could not hear Nerifes, but Nerifes could hear them. Jay's hands began to glow, and he glanced at the sea, asking it,

"Where is Senel now?"

The rhythmic waves of the ocean became not restless, but seemed to . . . wiggle a little more, something Jay interpreted as either, "I don't know," or "I know but I can't tell you."

"So I assume that Senel is still in the Quiet Lands, am I right?"

The sea resumed its calming, rythmic wavelength, something Jay interpreted as a positive answer. His hands stopped glowing, and he nodded, turning to face the grasslands beyond the sandy dunes of the beach.

Wandering aimlessly in the plains would get him nowhere. So Jay decided to check up on the Monuments. It would take time to go through each one . . . but he had no choice.

When he turned around the bend toward the path leading to the grasslands, a hauntingly familiar voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

--

Sometimes Walter had the worst of the most rotten luck. Such as this instant, when he was caught in a fight between two bloodthirsty dragons that had _somehow_ escaped their Mounuments. Pity the two dragons weren't of opposing elements, or the fight would be done with by now. Walter threw a Delques attack at the storm dragon breathing electricity, and dodged a swipe from the dragon born of fire.

Instead of concentrating on one another right now, the dragons had most likely seen him as a snack opportunity, and were both going for him. They weren't ganging up on him precisely, because they snapped at one another, but Walter felt he had to deal with at least one of them before he could get away safely. Pity that Walter had felt he needed no weapon to protect the Merines with. Fighting using his fists worked well on humanoid opponents and some monsters, but against dragons? You might as well leap off a cliff.

So, Walter decided to bring his crystal eres into play. After dodging a chomping snap from the storm dragon, and a tail sweep by the fire one, Walter leapt back, rapidly moving his arms to invoke the power of the Sea. Imitation of the true Nerifes it might be, but this Nerifes of the Fallen Lands contained the power of the Sea as well. Something good he'd discovered about the Fallen Lands; he was at least "allowed" to use spells.

Or maybe this Nerifes was laughing at him now. Pitying him by allowing the use of crystal eres now, and denying them to Walter once he faces off against Senel!

That didn't matter now. Walter chanted.

"Drown in obscurity! Spread!"

A column of water bore down on the storm dragon, stimulating internal charge, and the dragon cried out, thrashing, as its own element betrayed it. It lay on the ground, writhing in pain. Walter assumed it wouldn't have much time to live now. He turned to face the fire dragon. Now would be a good time to experiment with the tolerance of the Fallen Nerifes. He began chanting for a more powerful eres.

"Thy power floweth purely; unwavering. Accept these souls into thine embrace; let all hear thy marvelous voice!"

Of course, his Tidal Wave would by no means be as powerful as the one the Merines could conjure up, but it did count for something. Walter finished, pointing at the fire dragon.

"Tidal Wave!"

Nothing happened.

The dragon stared at Walter, head cocked to one side, a gesture that would've been cute on a kitten or a puppy. Walter mentally cursed. He knew it. His exceptional strength and endurance afforded by the true Nerifes topside were gone, and to top that off, this imitation Nerifes only allowed him to use mid-level crystal eres! Even that might be gone now.

There was only one thing to do. Walter turned, and behind him, two Monuments loomed in the distance--Thunder and Ice. Walter would have to lure the fire dragon to the Ice Monument, where it would encounter a glacial dragon, and finish each other off. And who knows, he might find that bastard Senel in the bargain.

Donning his black teriques again, Walter took the skies, or at least the artificial one here. The dragon roared, and it followed, wings flapping effortlessly. Walter smirked at it, flying toward the Ice Monument.

"Catch me if you can!"

--

The morning was rather uneventful. Just as Kratos predicted, Senel was all right and dandy come dawn. Tear had made them a killer breakfast (curry--Senel was not used to spicy foods) and Kratos, upon returning from his scouting mission, announced that there were no serious obstacles monster-related or otherwise that would impede them on their way to the Ice Monument.

As the three of them treked up the sloping hill that the Ice Monument rested on, it began to get gradually colder. Senel, whose Alliance Marine uniform served him well on the sea, didn't do so well in the biting frigidity that was the Ice Monument.

"Aren't you two cold?" Senel asked, shivering. Kratos said nothing in response, instead going down the translucent path that led inside the Monument. Tear smiled.

"I've no complaints about the cold; however, the ice does make it difficult to walk in heels."

As she followed Kratos, her heels clicking even more profoundly on the icy surface, Senel said through chattering teeth,

"Isn't it _always_ difficult to walk in heels?"

-

Avoiding the icicles that periodically shot up out of the icy paneling of the floor was no difficult thing to do. The only complaint Senel had was that it was cold, cold, cold, and cold. The battles were actually quite welcome; they boosted Senel's body heat, and since Kratos and Tear used fire-based magic, there were lots of leftover warmth on the battlefield.

Feasting on another of Tear's culinary masterpieces in the antechamber like always, Senel felt really apprehensive.

"So who am I fighting this time?" He asked, sipping the hot cocoa that Tear had made for their after meal drink. The warmth of the drink filled him out to the very tips of his fingers and toes.

Kratos sipped at his drink, murmuring a reply. "Her name is Nievia Glacia, and she presides over ice."

Senel almost spat out his drink. "You mean I'm gonna have to fight a woman!?"

"You fought Melanie the Crimson of the Terrors, correct?" Kratos replied coolly.

"She was violent, vile, and cruel!" Senel retorted, recalling all too well how it was Melanie the Crimson that had helped to toss him off the cliff after taking Shirley from him.

"Don't worry," Tear said as she called upon the element of water to help her clean the cooking utensils, "She isn't like Crimson."

Senel scowled, frowning prominently. "Great, then how am I supposed to fight her?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on Kratos's face, although fleetingly.

"You won't be so sympathetic when you do fight her."

Then Senel shivered, imagining an ice queen, beautiful and deadly, only to entomb him in an eternal coffin of ice . . .

Idly Senel wondered which would be more difficult to fight; Reno the being of fire, or Nievia the being of ice. He supposed they were equally as bad.

--

Jay froze, turned to stone, fear gripping him, the fear that had been his only company for so long . . .

The horrible voice floated over the dunes once again, and the one person Jay never wanted to see ever again strolled around the bend, arms behind his back in that nonchalant way of his, that sadistic grin spread on his face.

"My, my," Solon said, looking at Jay with empty yellow eyes, "you're showing emotion. Quite unusual for a tool."

Jay took a deep breath, regained his usual demeanor. He drew his dagger, the steel making a satisfyingly sharp sound as it left its sheath. Solon laughed wryly.

"After all these years apart, you greet your father in such a way?"

Jay scowled at the man who raised him from infancy, the intense fear turning to hatred.

"You're contradicting yourself. You're saying this dagger," Jay held up the weapon, the blade gleaming in the morning sunlight, "and I are one and the same, and now you come spewing nonsense like we're family?" Jay wanted to say more, but kept himself in check. Solon's temper always was short, and despite how he looked, was no frail, elderly man.

Solon laughed. "Yes you are a tool. Only a pawn, who could never ever hope for a real family. Only I could ever come close."

Jay's hands trembled, the old memories of his life rushing back in full force. The pain, the fear, the exhaustion and suffering that accompanied what Solon had called his training. No . . . No! Jay had banished those memories; he'd left that life behind him!

"I wonder, do you still have that stupid trinket on you?"

The raven-haired teenager started, his free hand instinctively touching his jacket pocket. Upon seeing this, Solon laughed heartily, a chilling sound.

"You still do! How many times have I told you to throw it away?"

"It's my only clue to finding my family--" Jay began, but Solon cut him off midsentence.

"If your family wanted you, why were left in the dirt to die?"

To this Jay had no adequate response. Why, indeed, then? There was no true parent that didn't wish for the well-being of their children . . . right? So why was Jay so unceremoniously abandoned? His parents could've at least left him at an orphanage or appointed a godparent . . . A thought occured, one that made Jay's lips pull into a slight smile.

If Solon had not found him, not used him as a pawn on the Legacy, Jay would've never been found the Oresoren. He never would've had the opportunity to know them, live among them, and come to love them as he had now. Quppo, Pippo, Poppo . . . and the rest of the tribe.

Thinking of them gave him a newfound strength. Looking at Solon, Jay felt the old fears and memories melting away.

"My family _does_ want me."

Solon frowned, took a few steps toward Jay. Jay hadn't budged.

"I beg your pardon?" Solon asked quietly.

"I _do_ have a family!" Jay shouted, and charged, dagger at the ready. "I don't need you!"

In an instant, sand and sparks flew as Jay's dagger and Solon's blades collided.

--

Hikaru: Seems like Jay's CQ too early, but something more interesting will happen next chapter. Things are falling into place, desu no. Hope you liked it and please review!


	14. The Fourth Test

Hikaru: The Fourth Test and the something interesting with Jay! Whoot!

--

They were getting ready to leave the antechamber, when a great vibration shook the entire room. Tear slipped, Senel stumbled to his knees, but Kratos kept his ground.

"What was that!?" Senel demanded, getting back to his feet. Another shaking came, and he fell back down. Tear remained kneeling on the ground, alert, a knife already between her throwing fingers.

Kratos ran to the door from which they'd entered the anterchamber despite another quake of the ground beneath their feet. The vibrations shook Senel's very bones, and he'd encountered something like this only a day ago . . . He closed his eyes tightly, willing his thoughts to be wrong, it was only a quake, as the Legacy tended to do for some mysterious reason and would quiet soon enough . . .

Kratos opened the doors, and he sharply inhaled. Senel looked up, and Tear stood.

Laughing that maniacal laugh of his, the Radiant that had so thoroughly beaten Senel black and green at the Altar of the Sea flew into the antechamber, black teriques shining darkly.

"So it was you!" Walter exclaimed, pointing at Senel. Senel stood, fists prepared for a fight. Walter was not at any advantage at all down here in his Fallen Lands; the Quiet Nerifes didn't like him well enough to grant him those advantages.

"How did you find us?!" Senel shouted. After he did so, the earth shook mightily again, and he lost his footing on the slick, icy ground.

Kratos still had not moved from his place at the door, as if he were in immense shock. He turned, closing the doors, throwing his back against them.

"Don't panic everyone," He said, "but there's a fire dragon out there, storming its way up here."

Senel's jaw dropped; why was a fire dragon in the Ice Monument? He sharply looked at Walter accusingly. Senel glanced over his shoulder, at the door leading to the deepest part of the Monument. Walter caught the gaze, and dived for Senel. Senel made to dodge the attack, but something flashed--

He yelled, thrown back to the doors that led deeper into the Monument. The doors opened to admit him, and he saw Tear running to get to him. Senel coughed, sat upright. Through the still open doors, he saw Kratos, sword drawn. Blood dripped down his blade, and Senel knew that Kratos had defended him from Walter.

"Kratos!" Senel shouted, hastily getting to his feet. The earth shook once more; Senel tripped over his own feet. Tear did nothing, made no move to help her comrade and ally.

Kratos brandished his sword. He did not look behind him, for Walter was before him, but he spoke.

"Tear, stay with Senel. Take him to Nievia. I will hold off the Radiant."

"No you won't!" Senel shouted, and blinked, surprised. Walter had yelled the very same words simultaneously. Walter threw another blow at Kratos; the swordsman blocked it.

"I have a message for you!" Walter hollered. "Your precious friends are held captive in the Mirage Palace!"

Senel blinked, not comprehending the words. His mouth worked, producing hoarse croaks that formed barely audible words.

"What . . . ?"

Tear shook her head, took Senel by the arm, intending to lead him away. He shook her off, and ran to the doors, screaming.

"What have you done to them!? Are they all right!?"

Walter could not answer; Kratos had slashed at him. Kratos turned to Senel.

"Listen, Senel. All that is needed is for you to complete the tests and master your own power. You are nearly there. Go."

Senel shook his head, no! His friends were in danger! What if they were tortured, or perhaps some of them were already dead?

Walter came up behind Kratos; Tear threw knives, and Walter faltered, gaining minor cuts. A smile teased the corners of Kratos's mouth. Without another word, he closed the doors in Senel's face.

Senel stared into the metal, not comprehending that it had closed on him. He slammed his palms on the door, hands glowing with eres. Nothing happened. Senel could not even hear anything on the other side of the doors. He banged his fists on the doors repeatedly, shouting, "No! No, no, no!"

"There's nothing you can do."

Tear's cold voice brought Senel back to reality. His throat tightened as he leaned on the door, a familiar wetness coming to the corners of his eyes. He blinked back the half-formed tears.

"Kratos will be fine. The Radiant will not receive the blessings of the Raging Nerifes."

Senel swallowed the lump in his throat, turning to face Tear. She was right. Of course she was right. Tear reminded Senel of Stella, only older, and a bit more stoic, even colder. He started up the flights of stairs that led to the deepest chamber. The place where he would face his fourth test, and fight Nievia, the being of ice.

Tear followed him, right behind him.

--

Jay lay on the sandy beach, breathing heavily. He was bloodied from various cuts and gashes, bruises blackened on his pale skin, and he clutched in his free hand one of Solon's daggers. Solon was still alive, of course, but he lay by the sea, just as tired as Jay was.

Solon staggered to his feet, glaring at Jay. Jay tried to get up, managing only a kneel, and smirked at Solon. Tired as they were like this, both were likely to die of eres exhuastion, or they would simply kill each other.

But Solon did not charge for him. Jay quirked an eyebrow, curious. Solon waded into the water, the medium of Nerifes, Quiet or Raging. What was Solon planning to do? So far off, Jay should not have heard anything Solon said, for his lips were moving swiftly in almost silent conversation.

Almost.

Jay's eyes widened in adamant disbelief; Solon's hands were glowing, and from what he said, he was praying to the Quiet Nerifes! Praying!

Never, Jay told himself firmly, never will the Quiet Nerifes bestow its power upon such a sultry figure as Solon, there was no way--

"Yes," Solon breathed, his hands glowing brightly, although not with the light of sacred eres. His wounds disappeared, one by one, and Jay staggered to his feet, his dagger at the ready. How in the hell did Solon convince the Quiet Nerifes to heal his wounds?

Finally, Solon turned to face Jay once again, and Jay gasped shakily, feeling lightheaded. Solon's murky, dull, muddy brown hair was glowing. It was glowing the soft blue only the Radiant had when they were using the power of Nerifes or when Nerifes healed them.

At last, it dawned on him. The clothing, the hair, the accessories . . . and the red tassel wound about his wrist. Solon was quite adept at keeping his secrets, as even Jay had not known this.

Solon was of the Radiant.

It only healed him, Jay told himself, struggling not to topple over. Solon was not gifted with the blessings of Nerifes which afforded him exceptional attacking and defending prowess. Jay swallowed a Miracle Gel, feeling its effects taking place almost immediately upon contact.

Solon took a step toward Jay, and he raised his hand. Jay scuttled backward, thinking Solon meant to hit him. Solon did not. Instead, something sparkled around Solon, and after a flash, something that even Jay had not expected after this revelation took place.

Flowering from his shoulders, Solon had produced a fully fledged teriques. Jay made a face, disgusted. Of course Solon would have this kind of teriques.

Solon's teriques vaguely resembled the wing shape of a moth's, and were deep, blood red. Jay could almost see the blood dripping from the teriques.

"My true name," Solon said, teeth flashing, "is Hennes."

Jay faltered, jaw working. He was not a Radiant or a scholar to have studied Relares, but he knew enough of the language to know what that last word meant. Finally, Jay spoke what Solon wanted him to say.

"Solon Hennes . . . Bringer of Destruction."

--

Kratos smirked once he closed the doors, turning to face the Radiant. He brandished his sword, the weapon making a satisfying swipe through the cool air.

"You will not get to him, Radiant." Kratos said.

"Foolish Orerines," Walter said, seething with contempt. The stomping and shaking had stopped. The two could only assume that the fire dragon in the outer parts of the Monument met a bitter end.

Kratos still smirked, something that greatly irked Walter. Here no one but this Radiant would see him. This Radiant would only hinder matters, matters far beyond this simple conflict between Orerines and Ferines. Here, in this antechamber, there would be no holds barred.

Kratos held his blade before him as a method of defense, and he began to glow. Walter stopped, hovering in midair, confused. What was happening?

Crystalline blue feathers whirled around Kratos's body, and in another flash, something happened that made Walter postively reel.

Blue wings, insubstantial, of pure energy, flowered from Kratos's back. They did not quite resemble a teriques, but they looked similar enough. Walter stared, gaping. Finally, he landed, although he did not fold in his teriques.

"How?" He asked. "How did I not notice your Ferines aura?" Of course Walter refused to believe this man was a Ferines; but the proof lay naked before him. Kratos had the fair skin, but his hair was a flaming red, so dark as to be blood red. His eyes were red; nothing a true Ferines would be proud of or bear. It was possible that this man was descended from Ferines, the blood thinning as his Orerines heritage showed through.

Walter would not be foolish this time. He would not invite another blood traitor to the tribe; this one didn't even remember his Ferines heritage the way the half-breed Solon did.

Kratos simply smirked. "I am not of the Ferines." He said.

Walter growled, snarling. "Of course not," he spat. "Blood traitor."

Kratos shrugged, sword at the ready. Before the fight would begin, Walter wanted to know one more thing.

"Do you have a true name?" he asked.

Kratos shook his head, no.

"Then I will give you one," Walter said. "Delzes."

Kratos smiled, amused. Delzes in Relares meant black or bleak future. He gathered energy around him, began converting it so he could use a spell.

"Ironic," he said as he gathered the energy, forming it into a Grave spell, "that you should give me such a name, Delques."

Of course that is what Walter would think, Kratos reflected. Walter knew nothing beyond the world of the Ferines.

But words have power, especially if one as the Ferines had forced it on him. Walter either thought Kratos would have a bleak future because he believed Kratos was descended from Orerines and Ferines, or because he wished such a future on him.

"Grave!" Kratos shouted.

Unlike Norma's weaker Grave spell, Kratos's was a Stalagmite in its own right; Walter had to fly into the very ceiling to avoid it. Kratos flew up to the Radiant, swinging his sword in an attempt to get him; Walter blocked with his teriques.

"Drown in obscurity!" Walter shouted, gathering crystal eres energy. He was "allowed" this spell before. "Spread!"

And he was allowed it once more. Much to Walter's dismay, Kratos knew how to fly well, and wheeled backward out of the heavy column of sea water. Landing on the floor, Kratos chanted for another spell. Feathers whirled around him, and Walter didn't recognize the kind of spell the enemy was building.

"Sacred powers," Kratos began, "cast thy purifying light upon this corrupt soul," Walter was affronted; how dare Delzes accuse him of being corrupt! "Rest in peace, sinner!" The power was at its peak, Walter knew. Kratos released the energy dwelling within him.

"Judgment!"

The world went black. Only Walter and Kratos stood in this world of darkness, deprived of any redeeming light. Walter staggered, feeling lost. Nerifes, he prayed, clasping his hands together, guide me!

Telmes. The Relares word jumped into Walter's mind. A bright light shone in the darkness, and with a start Walter realized that the light was a pillar, raining down from above, feathers left in its wake. More came; the thin pillars of light rained down on Walter. He had not moved. This clearly was not the power of Nerifes, yet . . .

"Augh!" Walter burned as the light pillars hit him, one by one, the crystalline feathers pooling at his feet. This light was not the light of either Nerifes, Fallen or not, yet it was just as relentless in its decision and punishment.

Once the spell spent itself, Walter lay on the ground panting heavily. The darkness receeded from the world, and Kratos and Walter found themselves back in the Ice Monument antechamber. Kratos stared at Walter, as if with realization.

"Delques . . . of course." He spoke softly.

"We're not finished!" Walter screeched, using his teriques to get back on his feet once more.

Kratos brandished his sword. "Very well."

And once more they charged, the black wings against the bleak future.

--

She was standing as if in wait for him. Just like Senel imagined, Nievia Glacia was a deathly beautiful ice queen. Her hair, thick and curly, was a dark blue, and reached her waist. A transparent, ice blue veil covered her hair, alike to Grune's veil. Her eyes were light blue, a dark blue crescent moon as one would see it in the sky was tattooed upon her brow. Her skin itself was a light blue, and she was robed in shimmering, ice colored robes decorated with sliver embroidery.

She was barefoot, silver bracelets, bangles, anklets, and necklaces adorning her. She walked toward Senel and Tear, and Senel felt the cold energy belonging to Nievia filling up the entire room.

"At last." She said, her voice ringing softly as crystal bells. "The chosen one to end our suffering. No longer shall we be bound to what we never have agreed to." She shook her head sadly. "Never."

"What do you mean?" Senel asked. He was weary of asking this question to all the elementals he'd faced so far. From what Kratos told him, this would be the final elemental Senel would have to face, and hopefully the final test.

Nievia sighed. "We were the first among our peoples to become the elements we worshipped. The others feared us and after the rains had sealed us in here. Then when the ultimate rains had come, and washed many off the face of the world, our power was used so they could make their escape."

The rains again. Was it some sort of metaphor, Senel wondered, or had there really been a huge flood caused by constant rain? But it made no sense; she said first of their respective peoples to wield the elements they worshipped. He started.

"You mean . . . there were others who worshipped beings such as Nerifes?"

Lightning, fire, and ice. In Relares, the Ferines would label such beings as Verifes, Kerifes, and Irerifes in that order. If so, then what did that mean?

Nievia shook her head again. "Not as you see it. We . . . are not of this world."

Senel drew in cold breath. There it was again, the second time. Kratos mentioned "this" world the first time Senel had met him, and now this ice queen mentioning "this" world. He put two and two together.

"There are . . . other worlds? Others with beings like Nerifes?"

"Senel!" Tear warned with a strangely shrill voice. "Focus!"

Senel snapped out of it, raised his fists. "Nievia Glacia," he said boldy, "you are the opponent of my test! For the sake of everyone important to me, I must gain that power!"

Nievia nodded, not frowning, not smiling. Unlike the other two, Senel could not place an age on Nievia. Nievia was ageless.

"Let us begin," she said.

--

"How fitting," Jay said scathingly, glaring at Solon's teriques. Such a pair of wings of "beginning" was ugly and disgusting. He must make more small talk; the Miracle Gel was working its magic, he must have more time before he felt fully fit to duel Solon once more, this time as a Radiant.

Solon smirked, laughing his high-pitched cackle. "Isn't it, though? That the destruction of the Radiant will meet its end at the hands of a mere half-breed."

Jay blinked twice over, disbelieving. "No," his breath was fleeting. There was no way. Solon must've had the decency to be pureblooded Radiant, but no! "Half Orerines," Jay mused, a small smile flickering across his face, "and half Radiant."

Oh my, Jay thought, amused. What was Solon, the prophecized Cataclysm, only the one to bring end to the Radiant?

In the old days, when Jay was the tool, the pawn for Solon's personal use, Jay would've found the prospect of Solon being a Radiant very frightening, and given him more reason not to piss Solon off. But now . . . now . . .

Jay repressed the very sudden, very violent urge to just laugh his fool head off.

Solon dropped his joyous facade for once, glaring at his pawn gone AWOL.

"My father," he spat, "was a goodwill ambassador sent to an important Radiant village, the one where their Merines would supposedly be born."

Jay's feeling of euphoria snapped; the coldness of steel returned. Solon continued, spilling his guts.

"In addition to making sure the Radiant had good relations with Gadoria--" Jay sharply gasped. Gadoria? That certainly was a surprise. It would've been much more fitting if Crusand had been the home country of Solon's father.

"--he was supposed to study the Radiant language and culture. Well, he eventually ended up with one of their women, a beautiful young woman named Viviane, whose true name was Xeltes."

Jay gaped. No way. The Radiant had been oh-so-confident in their readings that this Bringer of Destruction was forseen as the name of his mother? He racked his brain for the more concrete meaning of the mother's name. Xeltes . . . Xe base meant hole, opposing force, denial of . . . Te meant beginning . . . forming a word with those, producing the name, Xe becomes the negator for the second meaning . . .

Jay drew in breath slowly.

"Oblivion. The end. Your mother would help cause the destruction of the Radiant."

Great. It wasn't enough that Shirley and Maurits were hell bent on repeating the Cataclysm to wipe out the Orerines, now Solon had come bearing his fancy Hennes name and bloody teriques. Or rather, Jay thought, in true Relares, TelQes. Then again, things did get a bit mixed up when romanizing things . . .

"Yes!" Solon said, his old demeanor returning in full force. His teriques glowed as he spoke.

Or rather, Jay thought again, Denques, DenQes, dying wings, wings of the end.

"Then I guess it is up to me to stop you." Jay felt ready to fight once more. Solon laughed instead of accepting the challenge anew. Jay stopped, confused. Wouldn't Solon gladly take up the offer, wouldn't it be easier to dispose of Jay now, alone and vulnerable?

"Why?" Solon asked in a would-be innocent voice. "Why do you want to spare the Radiant? They're trying to kill off all Orerines, thousands of which are completely innocent of any wrong to the Radiant. They are your enemy. Why do you wish to spare them; you know they would eagerly kill you given the chance."

Jay pushed the image of Walter out of his mind. Luckily he had a reason, an answer to this query.

"The Radiant have done us no wrong as well. The Raging Nerifes, holding a four thousand year long grudge, is using the Merines, Her vessel, and the Orerines as a scapegoat for Her anger."

"A worthy answer," Solon said. "But oh, no, no, no, my precious Jay," Solon grinned, advancing toward Jay. Jay felt uneasy; what was this psycho talking about? Every step Solon took toward the boy made him step back, so that they slowly moved along the beach of the Quiet Nerifes.

Jay definitely didn't like Solon's tone of voice. And it didn't seem like he was going to attempt to kill Jay. Why not?

"You," Solon said in a poisonous voice, "will not stop me. You will help me. You have power, a power no one on this pathetic planet could match."

A rock caught Jay's foot; he stumbled back, scuffing up dusty sand. "Power?" Jay repeated, and Solon nodded. This tone of voice . . . it was almost kind of him. It was nonsense, Jay told himself. But recent events made him wonder . . . he dared to ask a question.

"Not even the Merines could match it?" Jay asked carefully, still sitting on the sandy ground. Solon nodded, yes. "Yes, Jay. You have power . . . why else do you think you could have stood up to that Radiant Walter for so long on your own? Why can you incorporate elements into your iron eres?"

Jay felt a headache coming on; all this new information was too much to take in at once. Solon a Radiant, his family history, recent events, and now this babbling of Jay possessing a power not even the Merines, vessel of Nerifes, ultimate power on this planet, could match up to.

"Why?" Jay asked boldy, standing up. "Why did you treat me more harshly than you did the other ninja trainees?"

Solon smirked, his teriques glowing more brightly. "With any other person training you, it would have been to suppress that power. However, I tried to create the conditions neccessary to have your dormant power awaken."

The smirk stretched, soon Solon was smiling ear to ear at Jay with a devillish, devious intent. Jay could see it in his eyes.

Solon didn't stop there. What he said next sent Jay reeling into a stupor.

"Near death, but alive. That's when the shadow guardian appeared to protect your mother."

Jay's jaw unhinged. He stared, dumbfounded before the words sunk in, stinging, seeping into his very bones and burning there. No . . . there was no way. His biological parents abandoned him. Solon had found him in the dirt . . . no. Beads of moisture formed in the corners of Jay's amethyst eyes.

Jay clenched the hilt of his dagger so tightly it began to shake. Soon his entire frame was wracked with half-formed sobs.

"Y-you . . . you killed my mother!"

--

Nievia had begun the battle. Senel charged for her, and she made no move to dodge. It wasn't until she began chanting that Senel realized that she was using a spell. It didn't take nearly as long as Hoseia and Reno's spells had, but they were just as foreign. Perhaps eres scrolls long forgotten in the era of Terises.

"Crystali," she said, pointing to Senel.

Senel wasn't aware of it until it was too late. He stopped moving, the coldness seeping through his body, sapping his body heat. He glanced at his feet. Ice crystals were rapidly forming, rendering him immobile. The ice didn't stop at his feet. It moved up his legs, past his knees, snaking all the way to his waist . . .

"No!" Senel yelled, trying to break free. He glanced over his shoulder at Tear, who looked on like she had the previous tests. Something was different this time, though. Tear bore on her face a concerned expression.

_Help me, _Senel silently pleaded.

Then he turned to see Nievia again, only charging up for a more powerful spell. This ice was brittle, Senel realized as his leg began to break free of its encasing. Tear had been concerned about him, that was enough. Stella must be worried sick about him, too. This was his test, he alone must overcome it.

"No you don't!" Senel shouted, running for Nievia once he broke free of the ice. He closed in with a Wrym Rush, but Nievia blocked it well. She caught one of his arms and used it as leverage to twist Senel, flipping him down on his back. Senel blinked, trying to get his swimming vision to focus. Was that his imagination, or did mist fill the room?

"Senel!" Tear called a second time. "Focus!"

As soon as Tear said what she did, Senel's vision went back to normal. With a start as he leapt to his feet, Senel realized that Tear _had_ helped him.

"Too late," Nievia said icily. The coldness filled up the room; Senel shivered, feeling slowed down by the absence of heat. She pointed at Senel once again.

"Crystalen!"

The coldness originated at the metallic floor. Just like with Electrum and Pyres, the spell circle drew itself on the floor, this time in purple lines. Not this time, Senel shook off the cold biting into his bones, he must not allow himself to fall victim to the eres.

Not this time.

Fire negated ice. An ice spell was forming. Senel sure as heck didn't know any crystal eres at all, let alone a powerful fire one, but Senel did incorporate some elements into some of his eres. Dragon and Phoenix Strike, for a few examples.

_Stella, _Senel felt the jewel on his hand lending him power, _watch me!_

He leapt in the air, the energy for his eres blooming into heat energy, pushing the coldness of the air aside.

"Phoenix Strike!"

The spell was forming just as Senel began to descend. Like a more powerful version of Will's Absolute, ice began crystallizing on the floor, building up rapidly. Some ice managed to form a thin shell on his arm, but the heat from his Phoenix Strike melted them right off.

Senel landed on the ice encrusted floor. He had ruined the spell, taken too much of the energy and converted it to a different form. Yet he had missed his target. He looked up, and Nievia stood not far away, but she did seem miffed that Senel had ruined what probably was her most powerful spell. She snapped her fingers, and the ice that had managed to form in huge crystals broke, dissolving into nothingness.

"How the mages managed with purple magic," she said, shaking her head.

Senel chose not to reply to that with a question; he'd already asked Reno and Hoseia, and they refused to provide him with a straight answer that made sense to his ears. Besides, unlike what those two said, that statement probably meant Nievia was annoyed at her ice magic.

Could Nievia fight without her magic? Senel decided to find out. He rushed in with a Swallow Dance, something she countered with a well-placed Beast attack. Senel was blown back, although he managed to land on his feet. Man, he found himself thinking as he got up, no one was ever going to give him a break, were they?

"Demon Fist!"

The shockwave flew along the ground, and Nievia, obviously confused, didn't see it coming. She fell, and Senel was right there to help her up.

Figuratively speaking.

She was lighter than he intially expected, but frigid cold to the touch, as he did expect of the being presiding over ice. He lifted her in the air, and she was stunned so that she couldn't make a move to escape. Senel threw his opponent down on the ice encrusted floor. Unlike when he was fighting with the raptor, he didn't use a strong enough throwing eres to break her spine or anything of the sort.

It did, however, leave her lying on the ground breathing heavily for a while. Senel panted, hands on his knees, breathing out wisps of white mist. Although the fight hadn't lasted very long, it left him winded. The coldness of the room kept sapping at his energy.

After ten minutes, Senel began to worry that he _had_ accidentally injured her mortally.

"Hey," he said, his voice unusually meek, "a-are you all right?"

He heard the clicking and clacking that told him Tear approached. Upon getting upon the platform from the catwalk, she proceeded to heal Senel of his wounds, and he did feel refreshed, but what about Nievia? He wasn't supposed to kill his opponents!

Nievia shot up in a sitting upright position. She was still huffing, which then Senel thought by seeing the expression on her face, meant she was angry. Angry at Senel for beating her, or angry at herself for losing?

She stood, dusting off her shimmering robes. She then looked herself over, speaking to Senel.

"Well, luckily bruises don't show up on skin such as mine, or I'd look in a right state for a while." Nievia turned to face Senel, her angry expression gone, replaced with a content one. Senel found he could not stop staring at the crescent tattooed upon her brow. "You've done well. Surely you'll gain the power you seek."

She looked around, as if looking for something or someone. "Where is Kratos?" She gazed at them expectantly.

Senel's insides squirmed at the thought of the swordsman. He hung his head low, remembering that Kratos had stayed behind to fight Walter.

"Kratos is . . ."

--

Jay felt in an odd state. He was familiar by now how it felt when he invoked his eres, and later sacred eres, and now he felt something similar, but not quite. Not to mention it was much, much stronger.

Solon kept talking, smiling even wider, giddy with glee. "When my men found her, she defended herself with darkness, with the shadows. When I had arrived, my men had already beaten her to near death, and then it appeared. It took the shape of a large fox or galf, I wasn't sure which, and around its neck . . ." Solon cackled maniacally. "Was that stupid trinket you still carry."

No more needed to be said. Jay could figure it out. Solon and his assassins had somehow bested the shadow guardian, and then took the life of his mother. This bell . . . his mother had given it to him. His parents never abandoned him. Granted, Solon said nothing of his father, but since he so unreasonably insisted that he was Jay's father, of course the scum-sucking bastard would say nothing of Jay's biological father.

"Yes," Solon continued, licking his lips. "You are a type of folk not even the Radiant have seen before. Your skin never changes color, even if you spent a month sitting outside in bright summer sunlight. Your eyes are of amethyst, a color associated often with darkness. Your hair is black as pitch. The eres you use most and specialize in are of the darkness. Hell," he snickered, "even Walter couldn't hurt you with his darkness-based teriques."

"Enough talk," Jay said, the power welling up inside him. He understood now. He was not of Orerines origin. He was what Solon said. A creature born of the darkness. That was why his blade glowed with the power of the dark, that was why that shadow galf had appeared to him, and it had a bell around its neck . . .

Solon nodded. "Very well. I will have to force your power out, and you shall help me!"

It ended so much more quickly than Solon or Jay would have imagined. Jay never even had to move much. Solon had charged right for him, and Jay simply pointed his blade at him. Blood gushed from the wound in Solon's midsection, hot to the touch. The blood of a half-breed. Seeing and feeling blood that wasn't his never bothered Jay.

"Foolish of you," Jay said, twisting the knife, earning shudders and gasps of pain from Solon. "You'll never live up to your name."

Jay yanked his dagger out, and he found that his hand was also soaked in blood. Solon must've moved really fast. Blood pooled at Solon's feet on the beach. He knelt, looking to the ocean so near and yet so far. He glared at Jay, coughed out one word.

"D-Derines."

Derines, Jay thought, walking toward Solon. De, the base, meant slaughter or destruction. Ne meant person. Del, the adjective, dark or black. Nes, the noun, meaning people. Delnes, or Derines, either worked. People of the dark. People like Jay, with power over darkness.

This was interesting. Since the Orerines did come from another world, perhaps his ancestors did as well. He would have to look into this later. But now . . . he glared at Solon.

"I cannot hear the voice of Nerifes." He said. "So I never will know why it healed you. But I do know your intent was to kill all the Ferines, children of Nerifes. I would do this for the Raging Nerifes, but the Altar of the Sea is too far away and I have someone to find. So . . . I will offer you to the Quiet Nerifes."

Jay grabbed the collar of Solon's shirt, dragging him through the sand toward the sea lapping at the shore. Solon sounded as if he wanted to protest, but he could only cough up spurts of blood. At last, when Jay stood up to his shoulders in the calm water, he lifted Solon with strength never had before, and threw him bodily to the ocean. The waters darkened with the blood of the one who would have destroyed the Ferines.

Jay swam back to shore, looking to the grasslands. A sudden thought occured. When he was in that water . . . it was not . . . Of course. Quiet Nerifes wanted peace. Raging Nerifes didn't. Senel had said before that when Shirley failed the Rite of Accession three years ago, she became allergic to seawater. Coming into contact with seawater would make her ill, while fresh water would have her recover.

The sea of the Quiet Nerifes was fresh water. It was not the same water as that of the Raging Nerifes. The Raging Nerifes had been punishing Shirley for failing the Rite, while the Quiet Nerifes had healed her.

Shirley must realize that aggression was the not the solution.

--

Hikaru: Phew! That took a while . . . Sorry if you find all the Relares annoying . . . and please don't shoot me if you don't like the thing about Jay. The Quiet Nerifes forgiving Shirley with the Raging Nerifes punishing her with her allergy to salt water was also something I wanted to bring up eventually. Jay will meet Senel's group next chapter! Hope you liked it! Oh yeah . . . sorry to Solon fans. At least he had a teriques!


	15. Reunion and Recollection

Hikaru: Hooray for insomnia! Haha.

--

Unlike Reno, Nievia made no move to leave the deepest chamber of the Ice Monument. Just as Tear and Senel turned to exit the room to check up on Kratos in the antechamber beyond, Nievia spoke.

"Reno should've found Hoseia by now . . . yes. And by now undoubtedly Hoseia can find a way . . . to return home."

Senel opened his mouth as if to reply, but Tear grabbed his arm, shaking her head. Senel nodded, understanding.

Down the three flights of stairs to the antechamber, Senel abruptly collapsed on the ground.

"Senel? Senel!" Tear knelt by his side, shaking him in hopes of awakening him. When she got no response from the unconscious Senel, Tear grabbed one of his arms, draping it over her shoulders. Her other arm wrapped itself around Senel's waist, and she hoisted him up, carrying him the rest of the way.

Her healing arts would do nothing for him right now. It was just as Kratos had said.

"His power must be manifesting by now . . ." Tear murmured to herself. Upon reaching the set of double doors that Kratos had sealed earlier in attempts of keeping Senel from Walter, Tear knocked on them, the noise resounding heavily against the metal. No response. She knocked again, harder this time.

"Kratos?" She called. "It's us. Senel completed the fourth test."

The doors opened, revealing Kratos. He was panting, his sword slightly bloodied, and he bore a few wounds himself. He looked over his shoulder. When he saw Tear, he smiled, but it quickly vanished when he saw Senel and his status. Kratos sheathed his sword, turned to Tear.

"Was the fight too much?"

Tear shook her head. "No. He collapsed just a moment ago."

"I see." Kratos nodded to show he understood. Tear studied Kratos intently, brows furrowed, mouth set into a frown.

"What happened to the Radiant?" She asked.

Kratos turned, looking aft to the exit that led to the outer part of the Ice Monument. Kratos murmured a healing spell over himself, greenish white glowing over his wounds, sealing them back up. "He managed to get away. But we'll see him again." Kratos looked at the unconscious Senel, carried by Tear, breathing heavily and laboriously.

Beads of sweat trickled down Senel's face; another fever was building up. Kratos took Senel from Tear, opting to carry the unconscious teen himself.

"We'll go to the middle of the grasslands, near the elevator. Senel's final test awaits once he recovers."

Tear nodded, agreeing. She followed Kratos as he carried Senel out of the Monument.

--

Reno stepped out of the cylindrical tank, the regenerative fluid dripping off him. He shivered a little, walking up the stairs to the deepest room of the Thunder Monument, where Hoseia waited. Hoseia was still working on his machines. Reno never did like machines. Even back home, things were so advanced that one saw machines as a part of one's daily life, but Reno knew better.

Hoseia didn't need to look up to know that Reno had arrived.

"Feel better?" he asked, typing a furiously fast pace. Reno absently nodded. "Yes. How long were we trapped here?"

Hoseia frowned deeply, his fingers stopped moving over the keyboard. He turned to face Reno in his floating chair, head hung low, the light reflecting off his glasses so Reno could not see Hoseia's eyes. Hoseia heaved a sigh.

"Thanks to the grace of our moon's powers and these monuments . . . we have been in suspended animation for the last four thousand years."

Reno's lips parted, as if he wanted to speak. His jaw worked, but nothing of speech came. Only disbelieving hoarse croaks. Finally, Reno blurted out the first question that came to his mind.

"How's our home planet?" This question came voiced almost inaudibly, barely a whisper.

Hoseia turned to his computers again, motioning for Reno to come over. Reno obeyed, looking at the monitor screen. Hoseia brought up a window, explaining as he typed.

"Before the war . . . I had my vast research budget, most of which was used to research the pure crystals of the world. I had enough left over to convince the Red and Blue Empires to send out the satellites." He tapped the screen. "I linked up the satellites with my machinery here. I have visual feed."

Hoseia needed to say no more. Reno knew what he meant. His jaw hung open, unhinged. No . . . it couldn't be! Their planet, their home world, their beautiful planet . . .

The land was eroding . . . normally it would, but not by the force it ordinarily would . . . The oceans of their world . . . were gone. Their land remained by some unnamed miracle, only as floating landmasses. The winds were extremely powerful, creating barriers around the world, rifts . . .

The rift most unsettling was one born of pure darkness, a great maelstrom ringing the entire world.

Reno, weak, fell to his knees, breathing in ragged breaths.

"By the moons . . . that's what happened after the wars, after the rains!? Our beautiful home . . ."

Hoseia nodded. "I can't believe it, either. Beloved Arcadia, reduced to this . . . even more amazing, people managed to survive." He brought up another screen, adjacent to the first one showing the vast skies and floating landmasses.

The new screen showed ships, wooden and iron, flying in the skies. On many landmasses there existed buildings, villages . . . Tears welled up in Reno's eyes.

"I thought no one could survive the wars . . . now people have even survived the Rains of Destruction?"

Hoseia continued to speak. "I . . . have checked on the areas beneath the seven moons where the Empires used to stand. My homeland . . . beneath the Yellow Moon . . . it is now a militaristic nation called Valua, an empire seeking to rule the entire world. Beneath the Purple Moon, the Lands of Ice have changed little, but beneath them, the entire people of the Purple Empire have ceased to be. Nievia is likely the last of them. Of the deserts under the Red Moon . . . they thrive, populated with many people. It is now a prosperous kingdom called Nasr." Hoseia caught the look on Reno's face. "Don't worry, those populating the lands still rever the moons as they rightly should."

Reno banged his fists on the floor, angry. "Why!?" He yelled, pounding the smooth, metallic floor. "Four thousand . . . why . . . were we taken from our homelands?!"

"Do you really have to ask?" Hoseia said. He was not typing anymore. Instead, he brought his knees up to chest, resting his forehead on them, arms wrapped around his legs. "We lived during the reigns of the Empires. We were subjects in the experiments . . . embued with the prototypes of the moon crystals, became the elements and embodied the moons we worshipped. During the first war . . . the oceans disappeared. Then, we were . . ."

Reno's frame wracked with sobs as he continued to pound away at the floor.

"Even if we could go back . . . it's an entirely different world now."

--

Jay sensed something. Similar to when, courtesy of his sacred eres, he felt the power of Nerifes. Jay offhandedly supposed he was feeling the power of darkness. That shadow galf that he had seen before, with the bell . . . he felt its presence. He did not call it, or attempt to. He knew that the shadow galf would come when he needed it most.

As he wandered the plains, trying to decide which monument to check first, Jay felt odd. The Orerines were alien to this planet to begin with. It was no shock to Jay that he, too, was of another race entirely. The only shock done to Jay at learning his background was that Solon had killed his mother in search for power . . .

"I feel something," Jay said softly to himself. Night was falling over the Quiet Lands. Jay looked to the grassy plains near the towering elevator. Although it was in fact artificial down here, it must be nighttime topside as well. As with all those tied to the elements, Jay's ability to use and sense the power of darkness must sharpen at night. "Someone's nearby . . ." Near the elevator, to be precise. And not just anybody, Jay knew.

Someone near the elevator was like Jay. One tied to the darkness.

Jay sprinted toward the elevator.

-

He heard their voices first. One man, and a woman, talking by a crackling campfire. The light created splayed shadows across the grounds, and Jay, hiding out of sight by the towering elevator, listened.

"Just what is going on in your homeland, Tear?" The man, crowned with hair red as blood said, sitting by the fire. Tear must be the name of the woman.

"The fon belt is disrupted." Came the strangely calm voice of the woman. She, too, was sitting by the fire, stoking it.

Jay quirked an eyebrow, his back to the cool, smooth paneling of the tower. Phone belt? What on Melfes was that? An image of someone wearing a belt with miniature telephones attached to it jumped in Jay's mind. The someone turned into Moses. Jay smiled wryly, choking his laugh down.

The man spoke, eliminating Jay's amusing confusion. "Isn't that the layer of rings around your planet that you use to call upon the elements?"

Jay peered carefully around the corner of his hiding place. The woman, Tear, nodded.

"Yes. There are now seven layers, one for each type of fonon, elemental particles. It is disrupted."

The man was drinking something. He took a sip of his drink. Perhaps tea, maybe even something a little stronger. "Disrupted how? Did the addition of Lorelei disrupt it?"

Tear shook her head no. "Like fonons keep to themselves, and the fon belt's layers are separated from one another anyway. Something else entered the fon belt, something of great magnitude. It's likely it's a meteorite that got pulled into the planet's gravatational pull and got stuck in the fon belt. The fon belt diffuses its elements and fonons onto Auldrant."

Auldrant . . . the name of Tear's said home planet, perhaps? What were other worlders doing here? More than four thousand years ago, perhaps five or six, the Orerines had come upon the planet of the Ferines on the base of the Legacy. That much Jay figured out on his own. The Orerines had come to a new planet to survive, because somehow their old planet proved uninhabitable. How intriguing . . .

The man sipped more of his drink. "Is the disruption of the fon belt so serious?"

Tear nodded. "Yes. The elements on Auldrant are now in disarray. Weather patterns are thrown off. One day it can be sunny, another a hurricane could hit! It's especially bad in places such as Keterburg and the Zao Desert. And since the weather patterns are thrown off . . ."

The man finished her sentence. "The oceanic patterns are in disarry as well. This is quite a serious matter."

"What about you, Kratos?" Tear asked. "Auldrant is involved because our world depends on it, but what about yours?"

Ah, Jay thought with a small smirk. The man's name was Kratos.

Kratos didn't answer right away. Jay began to get suspicious as to why Kratos would hesitate when he was perfectly alone with his lady friend . . . Jay froze. He was far enough way, there was no way that those off worlders would know Jay stood here . . . right?

Jay's confidence shook as Kratos spoke.

"Come into the light."

Impossible! Kratos's back was turned to the place Jay hid! Tear sat beside him! Did he have eyes in the back of his head? It was no use pretending, then. If the off worlders would threaten him, Jay was more than ready. His mother watched over him, after all. He also had his trusty dagger.

"Well done." Jay said as he stepped from his hiding place, smiling good-naturedly. Tear turned to look at him, surprised, jaw unhinged. It seemed she thought she said more than she should have in the presence of a resident of this world. Kratos never moved once, still drinking his drink. A sword was attached to his belt. Jay had no doubt he could use it.

Kratos stood, turning to face Jay. His bangs covered one of his eyes, and his arms were folded across his chest.

"Who are you?" He asked softly.

Excuse me? Jay thought crossly. Wouldn't the question be, who are you? Instead, he said aloud, "My name is Jay. I'm looking for . . ."

He trailed off. Kratos quirked an eyebrow, while Tear stood by him uncertainly. Jay's voice died. In the shadow of the towering elevator, around the campfire lay . . .

"Senel!" Jay exclaimed. His first impulse was to run over to his comrade, but he kept himself in check. He was in strangers' company, and therefore were potentially dangerous. Senel lay on the ground, lifeless. Jay would've thought him dead if not for the steady yet subtle rise and fall of his chest. Jay could see that Senel's brow was damp with sweat. Something was up.

Jay glared at Kratos and Tear. ". . . What have you done to him?" Jay's right hand ventured into his jacket pocket, where he kept his dagger. Kratos must've seen the movement.

"What does it matter to you?" Kratos said, arms still folded. That annoyed Jay. Was this man so confident that he did nothing while a potentially armed and dangerous stranger reached for his weapon?

"To me?" Jay struggled to keep his voice even. Seeing his old comrade lying there, seemingly lifeless, with these two off-worlders ignited a raging fire within him. "Yes, of course, why should it matter to me that an old comrade of mine as well as the hope of all of humankind on this world lay there, dead at a cursory glance, with two off-worlders?" Jay shrugged, shaking his head.

Jay drew out his dagger, the blade glowing with a dark luster. "Answer my question, Kratos."

Kratos smiled. "Indeed it should matter to you, an old comrade. As you said, Senel mankind's only hope on this world. And he," Kratos looked over his shoulder, at the slumbering Alliance Marine, "is currently undertaking a series of tests to acquire the power to save humanity."

Jay raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Acquire the power . . . ? All he has to do is convince the Merines not to wipe out the lands! What 'power' does he need to accomplish that?!"

"He needs power to protect himself." Kratos answered, shaking his head. "It is likely that the Merines's aide, Maurits, will attempt to twist Senel's words when the time does come. He is favoring the Cataclysm, after all. Nerifes rejected Senel, and so I will help to grant him the power he seeks."

Jay tilted his head to one side, studying Kratos and Tear. He's oversimplifying things, Jay thought. Why would an otherworlder bother to help a foreign planet? He must have some sort of ulterior motive. He'd already heard Tear's reason for being here. For some reason, her planet was thrown into chaos because the elements were messed up.

But Kratos never stated his reasons for aiding Senel and the planet altogether. And because Tear asked, even she didn't know what Kratos's motives were. Damn, Jay thought. Interrogating Tear was out of the question, then. Perhaps Senel knew . . . but if Kratos and Tear spoke of otherworldly matters only when Senel slept, then it was unlikely Senel would know.

"What does he have to do to acquire this power?" Jay asked cautiously. He had a feeling that although Kratos would not tell his motives, he at least had to answer that question.

"He has one last test." Kratos said. "If he succeeds, he will gain considerable power."

A few moments of silence passed. Kratos hadn't yet said what Senel had to do. Jay began to doubt this man would surrender any useful information.

Pity that Kratos had known where Jay hid. Information dealing was Jay's specialty, after all.

There was only one thing for it.

--

Csaba went ahead to scout for any Radiant guards or guard monsters. Moses guarded the rear with Giet. Chloe and Will guarded the flanks, with Norma and Grune in the middle.

They had ascended from the dismal dungeon, intending to get to Shirley before Maurits did. From what Norma had said, Maurits had collected a witness to Senel's supposed betrayal three years ago. If Maurits got that witness to testify before Shirley, then all hope was lost. Shirley would then activate the Wings of Light for certain.

Ven barked sharply once, and Csaba returned, panting slightly. "There's . . . a Radiant . . . with a zephyr nearby . . ."

Chloe sighed. "Zephyrs. Wonderful."

Ven bumped Chloe's arm with her muzzle, purring in that raptor-esque way of hers. Chloe looked down at Ven and smiled fondly, giving the raptor a pat on the head.

"Chill out, C!" Norma put her hands on her hips. "It's only one Zephyr, right?" 

Csaba nodded. "Yeah, only one and its Radiant."

"Then how about Csaba, Chloe, and Ven take care of it and come back here? At the very least, they'll be able to see if any more Radiant guards are nearby." Will said, hefting his gigantic hammer across his shoulders.

Norma frowned, pouting. "Aww, that's no fun . . . "

For that, Norma earned a bop on the head from Will. Chloe set out with Csaba and Ven, sword out, at the ready. Most Zephyrs proved not much of a signifcant threat, but here, not very far from the exit of the dungeons, they could run into Maurits at any moment. And if Maurits had indeed cast the powerful water crystal eres that swept everyone so far into the dungeon, he was a great threat.

The raptor led the way, her feet making little noise against the hard, smooth surface of the Mirage Palace. That rather surprised Chloe. Csaba had taught the group much about raptors, things that not even Will had known. Raptors, which meant bird of prey, were called such because they were related to modern-day birds. They were pack hunters, although they hunted in numbers only up to three, maybe five if they hunted with family members.

There were at least two species of raptors in the world. Raptors used to be much more abundant in numbers, but because of the First Cataclysm and huntings out of fear, the raptor withdrew itself from the world of man. The first species were those of golden-yellow coloring with black stripes and red snouts. AKA, the species Ven was from.

The other species had steel-blue skin coloring, although the black stripes remained the same. Instead of red or gold eyes, they had blue or green, or even a mix of both. A teal splash of color decorated their noses. The second species lived primarily in forested regions, whereas Ven's species roamed the open plains.

As they walked the hallways on the way to the guards Csaba mentioned, Chloe felt compelled to ask.

"So how did you come by Ven, Csaba?"

Csaba adjusted the strap of his quiver of arrows, his yew bow in hand. The tips of the bow where the string was looped were decorated in silver with the heads of raptors, their jaws securing the bowstring.

"Well," he began, voice low. Echos so close to their opponents would surely give them away, giving them a disadvantage. "It was after Moses had tamed Giet. We were camped out near the outskirts of a small nation, a lot like Gadoria, except it has a queendom, not a kingdom. The High Queen is ruler of multiple smaller nations united into one power. It's located on the southwestern part of the mainland. Anyway, we were camped on the plains near there."

Chloe nodded to show she understood. Red raptors were found in the great plains of the mainland. Csaba and Chloe put their backs to the wall; they could hear the Radiant making his rounds and the Zephyr flying. Csaba drew an arrow, knocked it to the silk bowstring. Idly Chloe wondered if Csaba made that bow, bought it, stole it, or perhaps it was a gift.

Inching toward the guards, Csaba continued his story quietly. "I encountered Ven's nest during one of my scouting missions. I found a scavenging monster making off with the eggs, digging them up from the mound raptors make into nests. I was fighting the monster when Ven showed up and finished it off. Her eggs were broken, though, and she was depressed for a long while."

Chloe understood. Maternal loss and grief was the same no matter what the species. It was especially heavy on monsters because their sole purpose in life was to ensure their bloodlines live on before they die. From the sound of it, Ven was probably a first-time mother-to-be.

They were so close to the guards that they could see them if they so much as moved one inch forward. Csaba drew in a deep breath. The Radiant and the Zephyr were far now, but they would come down the hall to complete their rounds.

"I came back to her nest to check up on her from time to time. Turns out she was so depressed she hadn't been hunting. So I hunted food for her, although it took a while to convince her to eat anything. By the time she was well again, Moses had said we were moving out, and Ven tagged along. Before long, we bonded and I gave her the name Ven."

The Radiant was coming back. Ven crouched down low, her killing claws unsheathed. Her stiff tail was high in the air, and she flexed her foreclaws. A low growl emanted from deep within her throat. Csaba and Ven exchanged glances. Chloe guessed that unlike Moses and Giet, who both used brute force, Csaba and Ven used a stealthier approach. When Csaba seemed to nod, Ven let out a mighty cry and leapt a considerable distance, pouncing on a stunned Radiant.

The Radiant screamed. Chloe leapt out from her hiding spot to confront the Zephyr. Upon spotting its prey, the teriques-animated monster advanced, its huge arms swinging in that strange way. Chloe swung at it with her sword, but she missed. The monster would have gotten her.

A sharp _twang _resounded behind Chloe, and Csaba shouted as his arrow flew. "Piercing Line!"

The obsidian tipped arrow struck the Zephyr's arm, and it collapsed on the floor. Chloe stabbed it through, her blade stained not with blood, but with a strange, ink-like stain. The Zephyr disappeared, leaving that same ink stain in its wake.

Chloe noticed the Radiant had stopped screaming. Horrified, she looked to the body of the guard, and Ven padded over, but her jaws and claws were not bloody. The Radiant wept, one of his legs bent at an odd angle. Ven must've either broken or dislocated the Radiant's leg in the pounce.

Chloe sighed, relieved that the Radiant was not mauled. She turned to Csaba, who, seeing as the guard posed no threat, spoke.

"We should get back. It's safe to go further."

Chloe nodded. "Yes. But, Csaba, how come we never saw Ven with you? At the hideout, the Waterways, and then Werites Beacon . . ."

Csaba grinned. "Oh, that. At the hideout, Vaclav's army was invading, looking for Shirley. I sent Ven on ahead to escort the rest of the guys, for protection. At the Waterways, Ven was guarding the flank, in case Melanie and Stingle tried to retaliate. And in Werites Beacon . . . the people were uneasy enough with Giet around, and most folks have never even seen a raptor before. So, Ven's been curled up in one of our wagons. I go with her at night to hunt outside town."

Ven purred, and Csaba laughed, rapping her gently on the head. "Let's go; I don't want Will to think something's happened."

Chloe nodded yes, and sheathed her sword. She, Csaba, and Ven ran back down the hallway.

--

Jay sheathed his dagger, holding his palms flatly upward to show he wasn't armed. Kratos quirked an eyebrow, and Tear looked surprised, to say the least. For the most part when Tear spoke to Kratos, Jay wasn't sure what she was thinking.

"I have to give a message to Senel. Will you premit me to join your group?"

Jay sure was ticked off to have to ask permission to join. He and Senel were allies, dammit! Why did Senel join these two, anyway? His priority was to go to the Mirage Palace now, not idly wander the Quiet Lands with some strangers!

Kratos shrugged, and Jay feared that he would be turned away. "If it's to tell Senel that your comrades are in danger at the Palace, we already know."

Damn, Jay mentally cursed. Walter must've beat him to it. What else could he offer to these two . . . his fighting skills? Jay frowned, he didn't know about that. He hasn't seen Kratos and Tear fight, after all, and down here, where Senel could use his iron eres, he wasn't shabby himself. Information? That _was_ his specialty . . . but Kratos seemed pretty informed. If he had managed to keep Senel in the dark about his and Tear's otherworldly origins, then he would have to be.

They sure came to this planet quietly enough.

Kratos seemed to know that Jay had nothing else of value to offer. "If that's all . . . you may leave."

"No!" Jay protested indignantly. "I am Jay the Unseen! And so Nerifes help me, I will not abandon my ally!"

"We're terribly sorry," Tear began, but Kratos cut her off midsentence.

"Your name . . . is Jay?"

Jay nodded; did this man pay any attention at all? He'd already introduced himself as Jay . . . perchance Kratos had heard tell of Jay the Unseen?

"As a matter of fact, yes." Jay replied, rather crossly. What was with him? It wasn't like him at all to get so tempermental . . . that was Moses's job. Where was his usual cool, calm, and collected self?

Kratos froze, frowning. He seemed to be murmuring under his breath. All Jay could hear was "summoner" and "couldn't be."

"Kratos?" Tear said, looking at the swordsman, concerned.

Kratos nodded once. "All right then, Jay. We accept your offer to join us."

"What?" Jay asked, bewildered. What had so suddenly changed his mind?

Kratos had already resumed his seat by the campfire, Tear joining him after she inclined her head slightly to acknowledge Jay as a member of their small group. Senel still slept soundly. Jay decided not to ask any more questions; Kratos may kick him out of the group just as suddenly he welcomed him.

Jay chose to sit by Senel. This close, Jay could see that Senel's face was flushed, and a light sheen of sweat glinted on his forehead by firelight. Jay placed a hand Senel's forehead. His eyes widened and he withdrew his hand. What on earth did Kratos and Tear make him do!? Senel had a terrible fever.

Kratos must've caught Jay's look of shock.

"Don't worry. He'll be all right by morning."

Jay wanted to retort, but he bit it back. How would Kratos know that? Most fevers lasted a few days in the best-case scenario, and a few weeks in the long turn of things. Then again . . . as long as Senel was all right, and accompanied Jay back to the Mirage Palace, that was all that mattered at the moment.

But even if Senel had grown to trust Kratos and Tear as his allies, Jay just couldn't overcome his doubts.

--

Hikaru: Okay, so Csaba's story turned out a little romantic, but not as much as Moses's. So Jay and Senel finally reunite! I had originally planned for Senel to be awake, and the sparks to really fly, but . . . eh. Blame Solon. He wasn't in my original plans, and he slipped up Jay's progress. And don't worry; you haven't seen the last of Wally! He'll come next chapter. Hope you liked it! Please review!


	16. The Final Test

Hikaru: Eh, I should eat some lunch soon . . .

--

_Senel stood on the Altar of the Sea, looking to the horizon. The sun was rising, and the sea glowed, glittering like a sea of stars._

_Footfalls resounded behind him. He turned, and smiled. Greeting him was Stella, dressed in the garb of a Merines designed much like her ordinary dress. A transparent sea-green silk shawl was wrapped around her arms. Her hair, which she wore down now, reached her lower back, and shone gold._

_Senel himself was dressed in the garb of a Ferines, white, blue, and even a little green and black. Parting his silver hair was a red circlet, much like the one Fenimore used to wear. The red tassle that all Ferines wore Senel wore around his neck._

_The two greeted each other with a hug, smiling. _

_They froze when they heard the footfalls of many people, urgently beating upon the coral of the Altar. _

_Armed people rushed up the stairwell to the Altar, garbed in red. Swordsmen drew their weapons, charging, chanting, "Hail Crusand!"_

_Senel pushed Stella back on the Altar, just as one swordsman thrust with his blade. Stella fell on the Altar, but alive, well. Face frozen with horror, she looked up at her beloved. _

_Dark red liquid pooled at Senel's feet. The swordsman's blade had run right through Senel. _

_Finally able to act, Stella stood on the Altar, her golden hair glowing a soft light blue as she called upon the power of Nerifes. Golden light enveloped each and every one of the Crusand troop, suffocating them, crushing them. One by one they fell, shuddering and gasping for breath._

_Senel yanked the sword out of his body, throwing it away. His legs were weak, shaking. Stella caught him as he fell. Blood gushed out Senel's mouth. _

_The words he strained to speak were barely a whisper, but to Stella they rang loud and clear._

_"If I could protect you, then I have no regrets . . ."_

Senel opened his eyes, groggy. It was still dark, and the campfire nearby was dying, remaining only as smoldering sparks. He sat upright, holding his head as a wave of dizziness came over him. With a start he realized his eyes were moist with tears. He furiously rubbed them away, muttering under his breath.

"Strange dream . . ."

By the cool air, it must be early morning. The grasses of the Quiet Lands were slick with drops of clear dew. Senel glanced around the small campsite. Kratos was nowhere to be seen, but Tear still lay by the campfire, sleeping soundly. Wow, Senel thought to himself. Tear woke really early in the morning, and Kratos even earlier. Senel must've woken up super early today.

Tear would wake up soon enough, or Kratos would return from whatever errand he was on (probably out scouting). When one woke, or the other returned, Senel would ask them. All the tests were in the Monuments, and he passed them all. He didn't feel any different, other than the strange fevers he kept catching and then recovering from one night later.

When would Senel have this "power" Kratos kept talking about? It was pretty amazing to Senel that although Kratos talked of it often, all the Alliance Marine learned was that he would get it eventually. He didn't know what the nature of this power was, how he would get it, and how it would help him accomplish his goals.

That strange gift Kratos had given Senel that night on the beach would surely have something to do with it.

What would Senel do? He thought of going back to sleep, or waking up Tear. Senel then recalled the dream he had. Shuddering, he decided not to fall asleep again. Who knew what sort of dream would haunt him the next time?

With a sigh, Senel looked to the distant Earth Monument, a tiny structure on the horizon.

"Stella . . ." he murmured.

The horizon sky was stained with light blue, tinged with gold. The sun was going to rise soon. Senel froze when a hand clapped on his shoulder.

"Senel. We're leaving. Right now."

Senel spun around, eyes wide. He gasped, startled. "Jay!? What're you doing here?"

Jay put a finger to his mouth, hissing, "Hush! We don't want those two persuing us. Let's go." Jay stood. He snuffed out the remains of the fire. Senel stared.

" 'Those two' ? You mean Kratos and Tear?"

Jay nodded. "Yes. You're better off not getting involved with them. We're taking the tram to the Mirage Palace. We need to rescue the others and stop Shirley."

Jay started toward the elevator, but Senel didn't follow. Instead, he looked around. He found no sign of Kratos or Tear. Jay stood by the elevator, waiting expectantly. Senel stood up, frowning.

"I'm supposed to earn this power ... "

"What 'power' do you need to stop Shirley!?" Jay snapped. Senel glanced up at Jay, taken aback. "All you need to do is convince her. Simple as that."

Senel tried to think of something that would make Jay wait for Senel to attain this so-called power Kratos was so fond of describing to him. But when it came to Jay the Unseen, he trounces anyone else in an argument, hands down. Hands down and their owner shackled to the support of a bridge that's falling apart.

Senel mutely nodded. He caught up to Jay, who started up to the tram. The ramp slid out, low enough for a person to walk on and board the tram. Jay made as if to step on it--

"Jay!" Senel grabbed Jay's jacket collar, yanking him back from the ramp. No sooner than he did, a voice Senel knew well by now cried out,

"Eruption!"

The ground where Jay had stood moments before exploded in a burst of heat, blackening the pure white surface of the material of frozen light. Senel and Jay sharply looked up. Standing on top of the tram, sword out, the lights fading from his crystal eres ...

"Kratos!" Senel said, standing up. Jay reached for his dagger. Upon pulling the weapon out, Senel grabbed Jay's wrist. "Don't, Jay!"

Jay glared at Senel, but obeyed.

"Tear!" Kratos said, gesturing with his free hand. The clicking of heels announced the presence of the melodist behind Senel and Jay. Senel had grown to trust these two as his allies ... so why now did it feel as if they were attacking him?

"Damn," Jay muttered, wrenching his hand free of Senel's grip. "Our path of retreat is cut off."

Path of retreat ... ? No, Kratos and Tear were not attacking them! They just weren't!

"Senel."

Senel started as Kratos addressed him.

"What?"

Kratos's words were curt, cold. "You still have one last test. Pass this one, and I will grant you the power you seek."

Senel's body tensed. What was this last test, then? Would he fight Kratos ... and Tear? That was certainly how it looked. Tear's staff was in hand, and a knife in her free hand.

But Senel never got the chance to ask, nor Kratos to answer. A blast of dark energy rained over the area they stood in. Kratos leapt off the tram, shining with the green glow of defense eres. Tear quickly sung a hymn, and a force field covered her, Senel, and Jay, protected against the energy rain.

Flying overhead, landing on the tram where Kratos had stood before ...

"Walter!" Senel shouted, angry. The Ferines glared all around, at Kratos and Senel especially.

"Delzes," Walter said scathingly to Kratos, and Senel gasped at the name.

Kratos, a Ferines? No way!

Kratos threw another crystal eres at Walter, shouting at Senel. "Your last test is to defeat the Radiant!"

--

_Iyeyuyi ... Nobomenu ... Reyenmiri ... Yojuyogo ... Hasatakanae ... Kutamae ..._

"Amazing ..." Reno stood, slack-jawed, staring at the ghostly figure hovering over the statue captured by domed glass.

Hoseia walked into the room, smiling to himself. Behind him came Nievia, her bare footfalls making no sound against the metallic floor. The woman trapped in the statue was surprised to see them, but not afraid of them. As she was, she had no reason to be afraid.

_"Who are you?" _The Ferines trapped in the statue asked.

Hoseia was setting up his machines in the chamber, not answering right away. When he was finished, he turned to the ghostly Ferines, saying,

"We are other worlders stranded from our home planet. Before we go, I'm going to help you."

The woman, Stella, tilted her head slightly, confused. It seemed even after three years of lost consciousness, she remembered the movements of a mortal body.

_"Help me ... ?"_

Hoseia nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "Yes! Did you ever wonder how you came to be here, in the Monument?"

Stella shrugged, genuinely confounded. _ "True ... after Shirley's brooch broke, I thought I was going to die ... "_

"That brooch was a crystallization of Nerifes's power. Its power was mostly used up when you used it to save the Merines three years ago."

_"How did you know ... ?"_

Hoseia started up his computers, back in his floating chair once more. He began to rapidly type in commands, explaining to Stella as he went. "Ordinarily, you would have died. But you are a Ferines, a child of Nerifes. You hadn't died. You slipped into a coma."

More typing. Reno was still transfixed with Stella, while Nievia showed no particular interest in anything here. She had just heard the news regarding their home planet ... and was not too pleased with it.

Hoseia continued. "But to the others it appeared as if you died. Your body was also suffering, and you mentally. After all, for the last three years, your soul--consciousness--was housed in the Legacy, a huge vessel. To return to such a smaller vessel so suddenly took its toll on you. They were going to bury you at Werites Beacon cemetary, but I'd managed to get your body out all right. What they buried was actually a doll I constructed to look like you and feel like a dead person. And your consciousness is housed here, in that statue, connected to this Monument. It served to help you recover."

He typed a final command, and a hiss of air being released sounded. A slat on the floor opened, and another cylindrical tank filled with regenerative fluid elevated onto the platform. Inside was the unconscious but live body of Stella Telmes.

--

Camping out on cold, hard, marble floors was no fun at all, especially if you were the type to wear heavy armor that tended to leave odd indentations in your skin. But Chloe would endure. The Mirage Palace was huge, and she suspected that the dungeon was in some lone corner of the huge place, perhaps in the deepest basement of the deepest dungeon.

Giet and Ven provided warmth enough in a place so engulfed in moisture. Ven surprised Chloe, since she did initially think the beast was a reptile ... but she came to realize it must be warm-blooded.

Will had said before that Maurits must be stopped. So before they left the dungeon, he and Norma used crystal eres to seal the stairwell that led down into the dungeons. Who knew that Norma could control such strong crystal eres as Rolling Stone?

"Where are we now?" Norma asked, bent over, panting, hands on her knees.

Csaba slung his bow over his shoulder, looking about the place they stood. It was the huge, abyssal area with the waterfalls and floating platforms.

"We must be making some progress. See, there are the teleport glyphs."

He pointed to one nearby. There was no mistake about it--glyphs always shimmered like that. Moses made a face at the glyph. "I don't like those things. Make me feel queasy."

Giet seemed to whine, mirroring Moses' sentiment, but Will heaved a sigh, pushing the beast tamer toward the glyph. "Stopping Shirley is important. Let's go."

Chloe laughed quietly as Moses made various noises that suggested he protested against being forced to travel by teleport glyph. Grune hop-skipped to the platform, humming a little melody as she went. It sounded ... odd to Chloe, to say the least.

Norma followed them, Ven on her heels. Csaba and Chloe were the last to use the glyph.

After several platforms, teleport glyphs, and nauseous noises from Moses later, they ended up at the very hallway where they faced Walter, personal guard to the Merines.

The waterfalls roared in their ears, and their feet made clicking noises against the choral floor. When they approached the door, Chloe stopped, head hung low. Csaba noticed and stopped, too, indicating the others to follow suit. Will came up to Chloe, shouldering his hammer.

"What's wrong, Chloe?" He asked, concerned.

Chloe shook her head. "Will we really be able to stop Shirley without Coolidge?"

There was a stifling silence, save the waterfalls. Walter and Maurits were not here to impede their group any longer, yet Chloe still felt anxious. When they had been fighting for thier lives, it had been easy to say they were going to stop Shirley from performing the Second Cataclysm. But now that they stood at the Merines's door ...

She found her resolve wavering. She, a knight of the highest standard ... Well, knight no more. Not since that time five years ago ...

She started when a hand clapped on her shoulder. Chloe looked up to see Csaba, smiling.

"You've come this far." He said, gripping his bow with his free hand. Chloe noticed his grip on the bow was so strong, his knuckles were stained white. So even Csaba was nervous now ... Chloe looked around at her other allies. Will looked the same as always, and so did Grune. But the beasts and even Norma were apprehensive.

Chloe nodded. She had no right to falter now, if the others were so willing to put their lives on the line for the sake of humankind. She stepped forward, drew out her sword with a satisfyingly sharp sound.

"Csaba's right. We might as well go all the way!"

"Charge!" Grune and Norma cried simultaneously, hands in the air.

Chloe went forward, ahead of the others. She put her hands on the set of double doors, and with strength she didn't know she had, pushed them open ...

--

"Dark Force!" Walter cried out, aiming the eres at Senel and Jay. Senel made to dodge it, but Jay stood, slack-jawed, staring at Walter in disbelief.

"Jay!" Senel shouted, and Jay snapped out of his stupor, getting out of harm's way. Walter growled, and leapt off the tram. Senel charged for the Radiant, fists flying in a Wyrm Rush. Walter, even robbed of the blessings of his Nerifes, dodged the punches with apparent ease, and aimed a high kick at Senel. The Alliance Marine grabbed Walter's foot, using it as leverage to throw the Radiant to the ground. Senel grabbed Walter's foot to throw him once again, but Walter rolled out of Senel's grip, back on his feet in no time.

Even handicapped by the Quiet Nerifes, Walter was still a tough opponent, especially since Senel had to fight on his own. Senel half-expected Kratos to challenge him for the final test, but Walter must prove a big enough nuisance to Kratos and his plans that he must want the Ferines taken out. Out of the corner of his eye, Senel saw Kratos walking to rejoin Tear, and they both looked on, although they both had their weapons at the ready.

Opposite Senel, Jay lay slumped against the paneling of the towering elevator, eyes wide in shock. What could it be that would frighten even Jay the Unseen?

Senel shook off the feeling and concentrated as Walter came at him again, with a flurry of kicks. Annoyed that it seemed Walter had copied Senel's Talon Storm technique, Senel went for Walter with a Whirlwind Blast, and managed to get to the Ferines this time. Upon the landing, Walter pushed Senel off him, began chanting for a crystal eres.

"You can't do that down here!" Senel shouted, suddenly frightened.

Walter smirked. "O lance of calamity, run my enemy through! Bloody Lance!"

The area beneath Senel's feet grew dark, and Senel tried to move--but with a sinking dread he found he couldn't move. His legs were stuck where they were. Reminiscent of Tear's Holy Lance, lances materialized in the air above Senel. Instead of glowing spears that appeared to have been made from light ... these ones were dark ones, bloody, from the depths of hell. There was only one thing Senel could do.

"Guardian!" He shouted just as the lances came flying down. The dome of green came over Senel, and the lances' blades broke on the defense eres. The entire eres of darkness vanished, and Senel found with relief he could move once more.

"Damn you!" Walter shouted. "Stop dodging and die!"

But Senel felt frightened no more. He felt ... renewed, with a new power different from eres rippling through his body. He gained new energy, pent-up energy he didn't know he had ...

This power ... it felt similar to Norma's description of gaining a new crystal eres. But how to use this power?? A set of words flashed in Senel's mind, and he decided on those.

"Sacred power, cast your purifying light on this corrupt soul ... !"

Walte'rs eyes widened, and he froze. As Senel was finishing up the spell, Walter screamed, "No!"

"Judgment!" Senel shouted.

The world went black. Senel thought at first he'd done something wrong, but he saw Kratos, Tear, Jay, and Walter in this same plane of darkness. Soon enough, pillars of light rained down on the battleground, and Walter screamed as the light hit him.

The world returned to its rightful state. Senel fell to his knees, exhausted. He never knew casting spells was so tiring! Luckily, Walter seemed pretty defeated, too ...

Walter lay on the ground, slumped against the tram, panting for breath. His teriques drooped. Kratos stepped forward, sword drawn. Instead of his usual blade of steel, Senel was surprised to find that Kratos instead had a sword whose blade looked as if it were forged of pure flame ...

"Well done, Senel." Kratos said. Tear rushed to Senel's side. Senel ignored her, instead focusing on Kratos. He advanced toward Walter. "Goodbye, Radiant."

"Wait!"

Kratos and Senel froze. Jay ran forward, unarmed.

"What is it?" Kratos asked, eyebrow quirked.

Jay stared at Walter. "Walter ... he is a Derines."

"What?" Senel asked as Tear helped him to stand.

"P-people of the ... dark ... ?" Walter gasped out, coughing. He managed a half-laugh. "How ... absurd. I ... am a ... Ferines. Of the w-water ..."

"True," Jay agreed. "But you have significant power over darkness, like me. And why is your teriques black? No Radiant has a black teriques."

"Liar," Walter whispered hoarsely. His teriques flapped, lifting him off the ground. Even so battered, he managed to fly away.

Kratos sheathed his sword of flame. Tear attempted to heal Senel, but the magic did no good. Kratos saw this immediately.

"You should rest, Senel. Your power is awakening."

But Senel never heard the words. His world spun, before going out.

--

Hikaru: Sorry if it seemed a little rushed or anything. It's been sitting on my computer for a while now, and I thought I should get it done. Hope you liked it! Please review!


	17. The Cursed One

Hikaru: Hooray for supposedly deceased people!

--

There was no other word for it. Jay the Unseen was pissed. Right after Walter had flown off, Senel had collapsed. Jay insisted that Senel rest on the way to the Mirage Palace, but Kratos and Tear dismissed the suggestion. Instead, they elected to rest by the elevator until Senel awoke.

Not long after, it had begun to rain. Why did it rain in the Quiet Lands, an artificial place? Well, the Monuments were here, after all. Along with a sea that contridicted the Raging Nerifes and its current mood of anger. The rain didn't reach under the elevator shaft's shadow, so that was where Kratos and Tear had set up camp.

Jay stood by the tram, arms folded, leaning back against the vehicle. He watched Kratos and Tear from afar, who in turn were watching over the unconscious Senel.

In the rain, there was no sunlight. The power of darkness was abundant. Shadows seemed to dance in Jay's eyes.

_Who am I ... ?_

_Where did I come from ... ?_

"What did you do to Senel?" Jay asked, trying to keep his voice even.

Kratos, sitting by the slumbering Alliance Marine, didn't answer at first. He and Tear exchanged glances.

"When he awakes, he will gain great power. Power that can be honed to a great weapon."

Jay sighed, irritated. "I've heard that speech. What is happening to him? And what was with that weird spell he used on Walter?"

Tear seemed to be an assistant to Kratos, or one of sorts anyway. She cooperated with him because they have a goal in common. Even now, though, Jay could've sworn that Tear wasn't agreeing with the way Kratos tended to hide things from certain people. Finally, Kratos sighed.

"That gem on his hand ... where I come from, it's typically called an Exsphere. Exspheres are special gems that amplify people's dormant capabilities. The one Senel is using right now is an evolved form of Exsphere."

Jay quirked an eyebrow, staring at the blood red gem resting on Senel's left hand.

"So you're saying that gem is what's giving Senel that 'power' ?"

Kratos nodded. "Exspheres are dormant at first. They are awakened by their bearer's doubts, anxieties, fears. Also by their combat instincts."

"So the reason for those tests were ... ?" Tear asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

"To awaken the Exsphere, to awaken Senel's dormant power."

"Why is Senel so important to you ... no, your plans?" Jay asked bluntly. Kratos visibly stiffened.

Finally, Jay thought with smug satisfaction, hit the bull's eye. A few minutes passed, completely silent save the rain steadily falling. A light mist clung low to the ground, and that pleasant smell that always accompanied the mists and the rain. The Quiet Lands must have been some way of living artificially, just like the whole Legacy topside. Perhaps it had some sort of "weather" system that mimicked natural phenomenon.

When Kratos said nothing, Jay continued. "I already know you're other worlders ... would you prefer that I report you to the world's leaders topside?"

The Rexalian Empire, the Crusand Empire, the Holy Gadorian Kingdom, and the Queendom of Ivalice ... Jay knew that every single nation on the planet would be intrigued. Sentient people from another planet! What an event!

Jay sighed. "You've haven't the time to be squandering around with the leaders of a planet completely meaningless to you."

"Aren't we helping to prevent the Second Cataclysm?" Kratos replied, voice smooth.

Jay shrugged, not amused. "It just happens to coincide with your plans ... or rather, a key element to your plans."

Kratos laughed lowly, half a smile ghosting across his face. "You live up to your name ... and your power."

For a reason that Jay couldn't figure out, Senel and this "power" or Senel's own dormant power were key elements to the success of Kratos's plan. Tear might be involved only because the success of Kratos's plans meant saving her home planet. So that eliminated Tear as a "threat" ... if Jay knew all the details behind Tear's motives, then he might be able to convince her to tell Jay what the devil was going on.

" ... voice ... the sea ... previous ... Mel ... Nes ..."

Jay blinked, and Tear gasped softly. Kratos remained stoic like always.

" ... Talking in his sleep?" Tear offered with a slight shrug of her shoulders. Kratos said nothing.

Melnes. Old Relares, the language of Terises. Converted to modern Relares, Merines ... Shining One. Senel was talking about the previous Merines in his sleep. That, and the voice of the sea. Was Senel referring to the time the previous Merines came to the Altar of the Sea to hear the voice of Nerifes?

Senel's breathing became a little more ragged, and his brow shone with cold sweat. Even covered with blankets (supplied from the beach camp), Senel still seemed cold. He gasped out a few more words.

" ... heed ... voice ... brin ... struc ... capture the power ... of the ... sea ..."

"That can't be normal sleep talking." Tear said, suddenly alert. "What's happening to Senel?"

Jay rushed to Senel's side. He reached out with a hand to see how bad the fever was (whether it was bad enough to cause delirium). Something shone brightly for a split second, and Jay withdrew his hand, the appendage flaring with pain.

"Ugh ... ! I can't ... touch him." Jay examined his hand, and saw little burn marks beginning to form on his hand.

At those words, Kratos's mouth opened slightly, as if he just realized something.

"Derines ... of course!"

"What?" Jay snapped, cradling his injured hand. It was throbbing, and the pain was getting steadily worse.

Kratos shook his head. "Jay, don't touch him. You're from the dark. Dark and Sea are opposites, aren't they?"

What? Sure, that made sense ... but the Quiet Nerifes allowed Jay to obtain sacred eres. What was with that just now? Blinking back tears from the pain, Jay fumbled in his pocket for an apple gel. He swallowed it, and the pain began to dull.

Senel spoke again, his voice almost misty. "True ... story ... ancient war ... ingdom ... of Terises ..."

Senel's eyes opened halfway, and Jay gasped, jaw slack. Senel's eyes were filmed over with a whitish blue glow. Jay had seen that look before ... in the eyes of the Merines.

--

Chloe never saw it coming. The moment they entered the room of the Merines, everyone was thrown back, floored, lying on the cold, hard ground. Chloe's sword was knocked out of her hands, and she couldn't move. Straining, she could move enough to look over her shoulder, at the coral throne where the Merines sat.

The Merines had made no move toward them. Walter and Maurits were gone, and the guards in other places of the Palace. Chloe saw aqua blue wings flowering from the Merines's back, butterfly shaped, glowing a light azure. That same blue light glowed when the Merines was attached to the Nerifes Cannon.

That blue light enveloped Chloe's body. Straining to look around, Chloe saw the bodies of her comrades covered with that same light.

_She bound us ... with her ... teriques._

With the power of Nerifes on her side, what did the Merines need bodyguards for? Chloe found herself thinking, trying to keep from panicking.

"D-Don't ... need the ... Cataclysm to live ... " Dammit, Chloe clenched her teeth, bearing the pain flaring throughout her body. It was hard even to speak coherent words.

The Merines remained seated politely on her throne.

"I won't." She said, and Chloe, stunned, couldn't speak. "I won't make any move, not until I speak with my brother."

Aw, damn! They needed Senel after all. Why the hell did Jay insist that Senel stay put in the Quiet Lands?! But after all ... it seemed that Jay managed to escape after all. Wouldn't he go get Senel? Wouldn't they both come and save them?

"Really? I can go get him for you."

Chloe gasped, and she heard the others reflect her shock. Struggling against the force of the teriques, Chloe turned, looking for the person who spoke. Grune stood alone, unaffected by the Merines's teriques. The Merines, curious, stood, her blue teriques flapping gently at her back. They were beautiful ... ethereal. But Chloe had liked Stella's teriques better. Even though she only saw it at the cost of Stella's life.

Stella had used her teriques to save everyone ... not bind them like this.

"Why?" The Merines asked, stopping short before Grune, who stood, almost towering over the Radiant woman. "Why aren't you affected by the binding?"

Grune tilted her head to one side, that relaxed expression on her face like always. "Hmm?" She asked, sounding genuinely confused. "Didn't you want to see Senel? I can go get him."

A smaller teriques flew from the Merines, hovering over to Grune. Just like a butterfly, it landed on Grune's hand, the wings flapping gently. Abruptly the teriques disappeared into blue sparks of light, fading away. The Merines frowned.

"If my brother cares, he will come. My brother will come."

"Then release us!" Csaba gasped out, reaching for Ven. The raptor was curled up a ways from Csaba, howling in pain. "We have ... nothing ... to do with your brother!"

Chloe froze.

_Nothing ... to do with Senel?_

Giet barked once. Although the galf must be suffering just as greatly as the others, the animal showed no signs of it. Moses nodded.

"Giet didn't do jack to you!"

"Have you ... all forgotten our ... goal?" Will asked, voice raised almost to the point of shouting.

"No way ... Teach!" Norma cried, trying to move. She failed. She couldn't move thanks to the light that bound her.

Chloe arched her neck, looking at Grune and the Merines. For some reason, Grune was the only one that wasn't affected by the teriques. Somehow, Grune must be able to release them from this restraint ... The Merines. When Chloe first met her in the underground cavern where they headed off Walter, the Merines didn't seem like such a bad person.

What went wrong? Why now? Why did the Merines ... Shirley feel that destroying humankind would rid the world of all its problems?

"Coolidge ..."

--

The cylindrical tank's regenerative fluid drained out, and the container opened. Hoseia stood before the tank, hand held out.

"How do you feel?" he asked, extending proper courtesy.

The Ferines inside the tank opened her eyes. She drew in shuddery breath, and she was pale. But she was alive. Alive.

Stella stumbled out of the tank, and Hoseia caught her hand, preventing her from falling. Indeed, three years separated from her body had taken its toll on her. Unlike when she was tuned to the Legacy, being back in her body felt ... small, almost cramped. She stood on her own, taking deep breaths, flexing her limbs, stretching them out.

Stella turned to the glass dome where she had been trapped inside the statue. The statue, which had been fully colored in all its details, was now just an empty, gray stone. The light that the statue had emitted had gone.

Hoseia sighed. "Whew. Now all that's left is to return you to your family and we can find a way to return home."

Stella absently nodded. "Family ..." That was right. Her only family alive now was Shirley. And Shirley had succeeded in the Rite of Accession ... became the Merines. Shirley had said to Senel at the village of the Ferines that she would become a true Merines. For her. For Stella.

But Stella wondered ... did Shirley really do it for her? Or was it to overcome her own doubts?

"Are you hungry?" The one of fire, Reno, asked from his place, sitting on the stair landing. The one of ice, Nievia, stood by him.

Hoseia shook his head. "You spent the last three years engulfed in water, sea water to be precise. The water kept your body nourished through the power of Nerifes." That, and the microorganisms entering her system, but Hoseia felt it was better not to say.

Stella nodded, wringing her hands. They were cold, and shook. "I wouldn't mind something to eat ... if it's not too much trouble."

Reno clapped his hands, standing up. "All right! I haven't eaten a thing since I was trapped in that Monument! Let's eat!"

"Don't overcook it, okay?" Nievia said, arms folded.

Reno scowled at her. "Well done! Well done! Not overcooked ... or do you prefer your meat raw?"

"Enough." Hoseia said. "There's no food around here, so we'll have to do a little hunting."

Reno raised his hand. "I'll go! I'll be right back, so don't go anywhere!"

Nievia looked as if she were about to protest, but Reno ran down the stairs, leaving before she could say anything. She sighed, shaking her head. "Idiot ... he doesn't want to think about what happened to Arcadia."

Hoseia shrugged, smiling. "Reno always managed to be cheerful ... even when the Empires experimented on us."

If Stella were listening, she would be intrigued with the conversation. But she was not listening. She felt troubled. When she was in tune with the Legacy, as well as connected with the Monument, she had been able to see far and wide across the ship, and then some. She had watched Senel's journey ... and saved him when he was in trouble.

But now, back in her original body, she saw nothing past her own eyes. In a way, it was both a relief and a worry. She was happy that she was back to normal ... so she could be with Senel and Shirley again. But she couldn't watch over them like she had been.

Senel knew that Stella wasn't dead ... he saw her in the Monument. But Stella wanted to let Senel know she was alive once more.

"Senel ... when may I go back to Senel?" Stella asked, turning to her saviors.

Hoseia, who had been talking with Nievia, stopped, blinking. "Senel? Oh, that kid taking all those tests Kratos had. I'm sure he's still in the Quiet Lands somewhere ... we can take you to him after you've eaten."

Stella nodded. "All right ... thank you." Hoseia returned to his conversation with Nievia, something about lands of ice. Stella ran a hand through her hair. It was long, longer than she was used to. Oh, well. She'd wear it down for now. She'd get another tassel and tie it up like she had before. Well ... Senel might like her hair long.

Stella seated herself on the stair landing, the way Reno had.

_Shirley ... I'm coming for you._

--

It wasn't long before Jay began to feel a little creeped out. Senel was talking in his sleep, but not words of his own, that much was certain. It'd been going on for a full five minutes now, although all Jay could make of Senel's words was that it was incoherent mumbling. Kratos warned Jay to stay back, because Curse and Sea were opposites ...

Did that mean something Sea releated possessed Senel?

But ... what was so important that the Quiet Nerifes had to send out an extension to Senel's body to convey? Wouldn't it be dangerous if someone other than the Merines tried to house the power of Nerifes? Then again, the Quiet Nerifes was a creation of the Orerines that had come down on the Legacy.

Argh. There was just so much he didn't know. And he was Jay, the information dealer! How upsetting.

" ... ter ... wa ... "

"He's asking for water." Kratos said as-a-matter-of-factly. He looked to Tear, who nodded, taking out her staff.

"O purest water of life ... "

Water ... the possessed Senel was asking for water ... It seemed indeed something Sea related was going on.

"Meditation!"

A sphere of water materialized, hovering over Senel's unconscious body. It dissolved into smaller and smaller droplets, almost raining over Senel. As soon as the first droplet of water touched him, his entire body glowed sea blue. A voice not his own echoed with a watery quality.

Jay staggered back, stunned. Senel's limp body was lifted from the ground so that he stood, still glowing.

_"Other worlders ... I am ... the will of the sea ..."_

It wasn't Senel's voice. It was another's moreover, a female one.

"The Quiet Nerifes!" Jay breathed out, stunned.

_"This is the only way for you, not of the Melfes, to hear my voice."_

" 'The sea which shines' ... " Jay whispered. "Shining Blue."

He couldn't believe it. The Quiet Nerifes somehow took possession of Senel's unconscious body, speaking to them. Why?

"Why were those people attached to the Monuments?" Kratos asked abruptly.

Jay stared at Kratos. Was he insane?! One did not command the will of the sea ... the one power supreme over all else on this planet!

The Quiet Nerifes spoke. _"The Orerines that came from another planet used the energy from those of the elements to create natural phenomenon ... so they could survive on a planet with no land."_

Kratos nodded. "I see ... "

_"My will shall reach you ... I will show you ... !"_

--

Reno brought back the remains of a beast he'd hunted down. He cooked it very thoroughly, and although Stella had no wish to know what manner of creature she was eating, she enjoyed it all the same. As she ate, she listened to the elementals conversing.

It seemed the Orerines were not the only ones to have come from another world.

"How did anyone manage to survive the Ancient Wars and the Rains of Destruction?" Reno asked, cutting absently at his meat.

Nievia shrugged. "Beneath the Lands of Ice, the people of Glacia should have survived ... but Hoseia tells me that no one walks those sacred halls anymore." She sounded completely emotionless, although Stella believed otherwise.

"Arcadia has undergone massive changes in her lifetime ... " Hoseia said, sipping at his water bottle. "It's amazing that the Ferines and Orerines would fight ... when in truth their origins are the same."

Stella froze when Hoseia had spoken the second sentence, eyes gone wide. Origins were the same ... for Ferines and Orerines? How could that be? The Ferines, the people of the water, and Orerines, the people of the land ... they were simliar, yes, even enough to breed fertile offspring, but ... there was no way ...

Stella decided not to ask, finishing her meal. There were some things people were better off not knowing.

The elementals' conversation continued.

"Let them solve their own problems!" Reno replied, with a little ring of truth. "In the lore of the phoenix, Spirit of the Red Moon, destruction must ensue before rebirth can take place."

"True," Hoseia agreed, shrugging, "and even Kratos is bothering with this Cataclysm business. After his part in the Stellar War, this Ferines-Orerines conflict will cool down in no time."

"Hoseia, do you have an idea of getting back to Arcadia?" Nievia asked, voice edged with frost.

The embodiment of lightning frowned, eyes lowered as he thought. "I have little memory of when the Arcadians seeking to escape the Stellar War captured us and trapped us in their ship. However, if we can get topside, there should be plenty of relics left over ... if we can get to the bridge, we might be able to manage something ..."

"What do you intend to do with the bridge?" Stella asked suddenly. The elementals looked up simultaneously. Stella was not so quick to forget the little stunt Vaclav pulled at the Bridge. That was when Stella had "died" ... and caused Shirley to go on this errant path of destruction ...

Hoseia stared at Stella, and his piercing gaze, those electric eyes of his made her feel ... almost guilty. Nonetheless he answered. "The Bridge's database should have records ... of the Legacy's journey through outer space. We should also be able to determine how much of the Legacy's original capabilities remain. There may even be a few escape pods left."

"And how do you plan to launch them?" Nieiva's voice rose over them, chilled like ice.

Stella shivered involuntarily. The elementals of lightning and fire shifted uncomfortably.

"Well ... Given the shape of the original Legacy, there must have been a launching device somewhere," Hoseia began, but Reno cut him off midsentence.

"With power enough to launch the pods off the ship and into space ... but not enough power to launch them off the surface of a planet."

Nievia shrugged. "Because this ship holds more technology than anything else on this planet, we must give up the situation. We will never return to Arcadia."

A heavy silence reigned.

"It's ... not completely hopeless." Said Hoseia, breaking the fragile silence. "There should still be enough power in the Bridge to send out a distress signal. Perhaps Cruxis will not forget its promise to the Silvites."

Reno heaved an exasperated sigh. "It won't be like going back home. Why would we want to go home?" His voice was toneless.

Nievia nodded. "You saw it yourself, Hoseia. It's a miracle the Red and Blue satellites still exist. Arcadia ... our home is no more."

Stella sat where she was, still as stone. She thought that the people on this planet had troubles enough ... what with the Merines waging genocidal war and all ... but, now those of another planet face their own difficulties. She blinked back tears. She didn't really know what was going on with the elementals, only that they embodied the elements and came from another planet--against their wills. Now their home planet had changed in such a way that they could never go back and expect everything to be the same.

It reminded her of the old legends of the Kingdom of Terises. The legends held that the Orerines and Ferines had lived separately long after the Orerines had come down from the sky. One day, one Merines decided to try diplomacy to quell the fears the Ferines had of the foreigners. Gradually, the Ferines began to settle the Legacy, as it drifted along the seas and built new land along the way.

The Terises era was a time when Ferines and Orerines mingled. No one knew what started the conflict. It probably started as something small, and then escalated into much, much more.

"Make the most of your lives." Stella said abruptly, cutting off the elementals' conversation. It was rather dangerous ... but they saved her. "Your lives now could never go back to what they were before, whatever they may have been. But you're here now. Make the most of the lives your parents gave you."

It was a popular speech in the village where Stella and Shirley were born and raised. Stella and Shirley's mother had coined it originally to quell the irrational fears the Ferines in the village had of the Orerines.

Hoseia averted his gaze downward, not meeting Stella's eyes. Reno and Nievia stared at Stella, surely stunned to hear such a thing from an other worlder. To they Stella was an other worlder, anyway.

Reno opened his mouth to say something, but Hoseia drowned out anything the fire elemental might've said.

"The time has come, Ferines. Let's take you back topside."

--

Jay blinked, he shut his eyes, hands pressed against them. But there was no way to block the vision the Quiet Nerifes now gave him. Not only him, but surely Kratos and Tear as well.

_The Altar of the Sea. It was twilight, and a band of Ferines stood on the Altar, accompanying a woman Ferines dressed in the teals, black, white, blues, and greens of the Merines. She stood, head bowed so that her flowing golden hair shone in the moonlight. Hands clasped, she began to pray._

_"O mighty Nerifes, will of the sea, true home of the Ferines,"_

_The guards looked on, hopeful, but also afraid._

_"If thou deemest me worthy to be thy agent, allow me to hear thy voice,"_

_The golden hair of the Merines candidate changed from gold to soft blue, glowing, radiating into the night. The night was silent. Even the stars above seemed to quiet in the presence of the sacred ritual taking place._

_Hours passed. Not once did the woman on the Altar falter, she continued to pray with all her heart. Even the guards dared not to move in the presence of the mighty Nerifes. _

_When the light of the sun began to break the horizon, the woman's glow dimmed until the soft blue radiance was gone. She drew in shuddery breaths, and finally collapsed on her knees on the Altar. _

_"Merines!" The guards shouted, rushing to her aid. _

_Tears streamed down her face, and she shook her head. "No," she said, voice choked with sobs. "I am not the Merines ..."_

_One of the guards, a female, dropped to her own knees, arms thrown around the failed Merines. "Oh, Aqua," she said._

How long ago was this? Jay found himself wondering. Instantly, the answer came to him. Four thousand years ago.

_Another procession of Ferines advanced up to the Altar, led by another woman garbed like a Merines. She walked confidently, and unlike the failed Merines, she wore her golden hair in a bun, tied with a black ribbon. The guards hurried forward and half-dragged the failed Merines, Aqua, away from the Altar, the next candidate taking her place at the Altar._

_She bowed her head, clasped her hands, and began the prayer. She glowed just like the other Ferines woman had, and once more the guards stepped aside to wait._

_This time, hours did not pass. When the sun had risen into morning, the Merines's glow intensified into a great radiance of light so bright, the guards shielded their eyes. Aqua, however, stared at the Merines, jaw slack, face streaked with tears._

_"I hear the voice of the sea," the Merines said, almost tirumphantly. _

_All the guards save one flocked over to the Merines, celebrating, congratulating her on her awakening. Aqua continued to stare._

_"Marina," she breathed._

"Marina," Jay said quietly. "And Aqua." Both names fitting for a Merines. But why were there ... two Merines?

_"You cannot do this!" The female guard protested as Aqua, still garbed as a Merines, packed supplies and equipment, as if she were preparing for travel. Elsewhere in the Capital of Terises, the first ruler of the union of Ferines and Orerines, the Ferines were celebrating the awakening of a Merines._

_Aqua shook her head furiously, striding past her guard and into the streets. It was midday already. The guard followed, persistant._

_"But if you run away--there's been talk that the Orerines will start a war any day now!"_

_"I am a failed Merines!" Aqua screeched, slowing to a halt on the road. "I ... heard the voice of Nerifes."_

_The guard inhaled air sharply. "Then ... "_

_Aqua continued, ignoring her guard. "Nerifes rejected me. I wanted to uphold the peace between Ferines and Orerines that Terises had formed so long ago! But ... but ..." She couldn't finish, her voice breaking, on the verge of tears._

_"Then, Nerifes wants the Orerines gone?" The guard asked, voice meek._

_"Marina ... my twin sister ... agreed with Nerifes." Aqua said, burying her face in her hands._

_The guard put a hand on Aqua's shoulder. "Where will you go?" If she hoped this would convince Aqua to come back home and let her sister Marina carry out the will of Nerifes, she was gravely mistaken._

_"To the Great Spring in the north. There is a gate there, said to open using eres."_

_And Aqua continued down the road. The guard stood where she was, rooted to the spot. She shouted after Aqua's retreating back._

_"You can't! The Orerines control that area! You'll be captured! Killed!"_

_But even as she screamed these things, they fell on deaf ears, and Aqua Nelhes left the Capital._

No way ... Jay was appalled at the second name Aqua was given--Nelhes. The Cursed One. Did they know that Aqua was to fail the Rite of Accession and ultimately as a Merines, no, a Ferines?

_Aqua awoke when a great shaking jarred the smooth, hard, cold floor she slept on. She supposed the platform had reached its destination. The Orerines were not savage, contrary to the popular belief conceived only a few decades ago. They were people, too ... just like the Ferines. But just because Nerifes had not accepted her as its agent, Aqua would not cease her efforts to achieve the glorious peace the Kingdom of Terises had enjoyed for so long. _

_The great era of Terises would not end!_

_"So ... these are the Fallen Lands Marina is so fond of calling," Aqua said quietly to herself. There was no settlement in sight, save for the structures built on various points in the grasslands--they looked like monuments. The Orerines that were chased down here must live there._

_The accepted her help readily. News had traveled fast in the last two weeks--it was not the Orerines who were gearing up for war. The great Merines, agent of Nerifes, leader of the Ferines, had declared war. The Orerines that had lived in the Captial tried to flee. None escaped with their lives._

_Aqua lived among the Orerines of the Fallen Lands. True, she could no longer use her eres, holding some truth to the name. But she did not need the blessings of Nerifes. No. She was going to preserve peace ... with her own power._

_Her conviction was shaken not once. Not even when she discovered a horrifying secret behind the power of the Monuments--people. People, neither Orerines or Ferines, trapped in the Monuments. The Orerines had said it was their distant ancestors, those who originally came to the planet, that did this. They freed one. The one of lightning._

_After hearing about the plight of the Ferines and Orerines, the lightning elemental agreed to help. He had asked Aqua,_

_"How prepared are you to gain the power to stop this conflict?"_

_"Anything." Aqua immediately answered. "My life, if need be."_

_"Then," the elemental said, "To the Earth Monument."_

_Like the elemental, Aqua was connected to the Monument. Her consciousness, her soul, her will ... was transferred to the great body of water of the Fallen Lands. The integration was ingenius. Aqua had become one with the sea of the Fallen Lands._

_Aqua Nelhes had become the Quiet Nerifes._

_But the Orerines could not gain the power of Nerifes, Quiet or otherwise. The only thing Aqua, as Nerifes, could do was grant them power ... the blessings of Nerifes._

_No ... it was not what she wanted ... but if this was the only way to achieve peace ..._

Jay snapped out of the vision when the sound of a body hitting the ground struck his ears. Senel lay limp once more, the blue radiance of the Nerifes gone.

"Senel!" Jay cried, and rushed to his friend's side. He was fine. Alive, breathing. Even his fever was gone. Jay looked up. Kratos and Tear had fallen to their knees. It had stopped raining.

"Senel ... is Senel all right?" Jay asked himself. He looked to his friend, and sighed with relief to see the rising and falling of his chest. Not laboriously as it was before, but steady, easy. Senel was going to be all right.

Jay pressed his hand to Senel's forehead, just to ensure the fever really was gone. A sharp pain flared in Jay's mind, and he withdrew his hand, stunned. The pain was gone, but it left a string of words in Jay's mind ...

_Nerifes is overtaking me ... trying to supress my will ... go ... achieve what I could not. I don't want to see another Marina ..._

--

Hikaru: FINALLY! Whew! Sorry it's so delayed ... but I wanted to show my opinion of what happened to cause the First Cataclysm. That, and why the Legacy, an Orerines creation, was so slathered in Ferines artifacts, records, and writings. Hope you like it!


	18. Soul Crush

Hikaru: Sorry for the delay ... but ... as a reader, I have a fairly good excuse ... HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS OWNED MY SOUL. There.

--

Stella stumbled. She walked ahead of the group out of the Earth Monument, but upon stepping outside, onto the grassy plains, a great pain flared in her mind and she stumbled to the ground.

"Are you all right?" Reno asked, kneeling beside her. Stella nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. She stood, looking to where the elevator shaft rose out of the ground, an impossibly tall tower, dwarfing all else in the Quiet Lands. Blue light shone, radiated strongly from the elevator base. It flickered, guttering like a candle flame about to go out. Finally, it stopped and died altogether.

"I ... feel it. The power of Nerifes ... " Stella whispered, her voice ghosting on the breeze.

"The power of Nerifes?" Hoseia asked, alarmed. Stella nodded, and the lightning elemental cursed. "Is the Catacylsm starting?"

Stella shook her head. "No. It can't be ... this is the Quiet Nerifes."

"Not good, not good." Hoseia grabbed Stella's hand, starting a sprint down the plains. Stella kept up, but she asked as they ran:

"What's wrong?"

Her legs felt as if they were slamming upon the earth underfoot. It wasn't painful, but the sense was overwhelming. She looked over her shoulder. She saw her golden hair streaming behind them, and the other two elementals still standing at the Monument, confused.

They scaled a small hill, and the white elevator loomed, ever closer.

"Do you know why only the Merines can house the power of Nerifes?" Hoseia asked, almost breathlessly.

Stella nodded. "If anyone other than the Merines tried, they would die, their souls crushed."

"That's because," Hoseia gulped in air, "the Merines has a specific genetic fluke which allows her to house more than one soul."

The words hit Stella like a ton of bricks.

_Soul ... consciousness ... the voice of the sea, the power of Nerifes ... !_

Stella understood how utterly tiny mortal vessels were. Although the will of the sea was a consciousness of unfathomable size, the Merines always housed its power without fail. That's why many Ferines who tried to usurp leadership of the people died when they tried the Rite of Accession. The will of the sea crushed them. Their bodies would be intact, but ... their souls ...

"But what's happening?" Stella rose her voice, worried.

"The Quiet Nerifes is using a mortal as its vessel to convey something. It has no other way to--the Raging Nerifes is over powering the will of the Quiet Nerifes!"

Using a mortal vessel ... someone was in grave danger of having their soul crushed. Immediately Stella thought of the people who had been in the Quiet Lands. Kratos, Tear, and ... Senel. Senel!

"Who is the Quiet Nerifes using?" Stella shrieked. The elevator was close now. The power of Nerifes was fading fast. That was a terrible omen.

"I have a bad feeling ... I think I know who!" Hoseia responded, and his grip on Stella's wrist tightened.

Stella's stomach dropped into queasy hell.

_Who ... no ... not Senel!_

--

"I'm ... still ... alive ... " He coughed, and droplets of blood splattered on the ground. Day broke now. The sky was cloudy, and it had been raining steadily for quite some time.

He was so tired. So damn tired. All he wanted was to lie down and sleep. The period of unconsciousness and darkness was quite sublimely welcome. But he couldn't. He was the Merines's personal guard.

"M-Merines ... " Walter rasped, dragging his body along the smooth, coral grounds of the Mirage Palace. He had to get to the Merines, to protect her. The new enemies were not something to be trifled with. Especially not Senel. Senel was quite the lying, filthy, spineless snake. That kind of power ... not even Nerifes granted such power to the Ferines save the Merines.

Senel must've been planning to kill the Merines for quite some time. He had conspired with that abomination ... Delzes. How had Delzes acquired the powers and wings so alike to Ferines power and teriques? They liked their power. They wanted to wipe out anyone and anything with power greater than their own ...

Walter coughed, heaving. He lay on the ground. Who was he kidding? He couldn't protect the Merines. He couldn't protect himself.

Water. Running water. He must be in the area of the Palace where the waterfalls reigned. Everything had passed by so quickly ... he had let his teriques lead him. Now he hadn't the strength to stand.

He failed ... he failed ... those words kept echoing in his mind. Walter Delques, you are a failure! You were trained and charged from birth to protect the Merines, the hope of the Ferines. And now, when it really mattered, when a great threat faces the Merines, you chose to lie down and die like a dog!

_I didn't ... choose ... to die like ... this ..._

Wasn't that true, though? Even when Walter knew what sort of attack was coming from Senel, he had let himself be hit. He let Senel kill him. Somehow ... Senel's version of the Judgment spell had been more powerful than Delzes's magic.

Walter had nothing left to him. Nothing except what that Orerines had told him ... that allowed him to escape.

_"Walter ... he is a Derines."_

_"P-people of the ... dark ... ? How ... absurd. I ... am a ... Ferines. Of the w-water ... "_

_"True. But you have significant power over darkness, like me. And why is your teriques black? No Radiant has a black teriques."_

It was true. Among all the Ferines Walter had seen, no other had a teriques stained black. His true name even emphasized the fact he had black wings. All his life, he was distant from the other Ferines. He never knew his parents. He was trained from birth to protect the Merines. That was all he had been good for.

It was his purpose in life. He would never amount to anything else. He never had any real friends. Even Maurits and Fenimore treated him differently.

But the Merines ... she had not done so. When Walter had persued Senel's group to the Fallen Lands, he was vulnerable. The Merines had protected him.

"Ha ha ha ... " Walter coughed. "Isn't that ... funny. The Merines ... protecting her ... guard."

There was at least one person who didn't treat him so differently.

"M-Merines ... I will ... protect you ... "

--

Ten minutes. It had been ten minutes, and yet Senel remained unconscious. Jay knew Senel breathed, and knew he was still alive after checking his pulse once every half minute. Yet Senel remained as he was.

"Senel." Jay said, earning no response. "Wake up!" Jay this time almost shouted. Senel remained as he was.

"What's wrong with him?" It was not Jay, but Tear who asked Kratos. Jay glared at Kratos. He wanted answers, ones that made sense to his ears.

Kratos's jaw worked, but nothing of speech came. That was a first. Kratos, speechless? Jay, even in his short time observing the other worlders, had not seen Kratos in a position where he looked so utterly ... powerless. His name meant power. Bearing a name like that ... why would he allow himself to appear as anything less?

Jay would have said something, but anything he would have said drowned out in a distant yell.

"You!"

Jay whirled around to see two people running without restraint toward them--a purple skinned and haired man wearing glasses and a lab coat, and ... Jay froze. The other person running toward them, ever closer with each second--

_Stella Telmes._

How could that be? She was _dead!_

The lab coated man screeched at Kratos, rushing past Jay, Tear, and the unconscious Senel.

"You bastard!" The man swung a fist at Kratos, hitting him square in the jaw.

Kratos did not stumble, but he did look dazed. The shorter man grabbed Kratos at the lapels, shouting. Jay looked at the lab coated man and saw a name tag embroidered there reading the name Hoseia.

"What the hell was that just now?!" Hoseia demanded, electric blue eyes wide, angry.

Stella, the one who had died, knelt by Senel's side, but she stared at Hoseia, as if stunned by the man's behavior. Kratos calmly grabbed Hoseia's hands, detaching them from his collar. He cleared his throat.

"If you're talking about the Quiet Neri--"

"Of course I know!" Hoseia chopped off Kratos's statement. He pointed at Senel, still unconscious. "What I want to know is what the bloody kind of Exsphere you're using on _him!"_

Jay was utterly, completely lost. He gazed back and forth between the supposedly dead woman, Hoseia, and Kratos, brows furrowed and eyes wide in question. He decided to let things play out, and he was nonexistant to the people around him, anyway ...

Hoseia waited expectantly for Kratos's answer. Just as Kratos had been before, he remained strangely powerless. Finally, Kratos spoke.

"Early ... Cruxis Crystal."

He did not seem to have the strength or courage to say much more than that. Hoseia heaved a sigh, slapping his forehead with an open palm. Jay hung back by the unconscious Senel with Stella, watching the scene play out.

"Well," Hoseia said in a unnaturally high voice that Jay was certain that didn't belong to the man, "well, now we've reached a perfect understanding, _Aurion."_ The refusal of referring to Kratos in a personal way must've meant to hit a nerve, but the only change Jay had seen in Kratos was the sudden, complete, removal of the swordsman's "power."

"What's going on?" It was not Jay who spoke, but Tear. She was standing a ways from Kratos, more near the tram than anything else. Jay was surprised. One would think that, as an accomplice to Kratos's deeds, the man had at least shared the details of his plan with her ...

Kratos had not moved, but nonetheless began to speak. "Exspheres are lifeless beings. They are alive, but not in the same way we are. In order to awaken them, they fuse in a parasitic process to a human and extract nourishment from their doubts, fears, suffering, and combat instincts. The evolved Exsphere in that same fusion grants the user power ... in exchange for their humanity."

All eyes turned not to Kratos, but turned and fixed on the little blood red jewel on Senel's hand. Jay had a crazy urge to wrench it from Senel and toss it in the ocean, throw it in a volcano ... but forced himself to remain still.

Jay noticed that electric blue sparks began dancing, flickering in and out of life along Hoseia's fingers, although they remained clenched by his sides.

Kratos continued. "However, since I endeavored to use the Exsphere to draw out Senel's own dormant power, having him losing his humanity would be ... troublesome. I instead sought out the earliest type of Exsphere known to man, and used that."

Hoseia stomped on the ground, and with horror Jay felt minute shocks of electricity running thorugh him and the ground. Stella and Tear must've felt it, but remained stoic.

"And ... " Hoseia's voice was deathly quiet at first, but it rose with each word, "you thought you _knew what you were doing _when you placed that--that--_thing _on him!?"

"I don't recall you ever teaching me the finer points of primitive Exspheres." Kratos spat back, glaring at Hoseia.

"No!" Hoseia shouted back. "Because I thought you were more inclined to use the _tried _and _true _methods developed by your lunatic friend and his army of equally lunatic half-elves!"

"Enough!" Tear cried, coldy, almost angrily. Both arguing men turned their gazes on Tear. She returned the glares. "What's important is _what_ is happening, and how we will rectify it."

Hoseia cleared his throat. "Primitive Exspheres, that is, Exspheres discovered more than five thousand years ago ... were horrendously unstable. Even with a Key Crest, using them was dangerous and unpredictable. That's why it took so long to develop a safely usable Exsphere as well as the ... ahem ... evovled type. You see, poor Senel there," Hoseia gestured to the unconscious teenager, "is suffering from an unstable Exsphere. He's got power, certainly ... but you see he's unconscious. His consciousness, his soul, has fled its vessel."

Stella breathed a sigh of relief, whispering breathlessly, "So it wasn't the soul crush ... "

"But where?" Jay demanded, and Hoseia seemed to see him for the first time. "Where would Senel's soul go?"

This was far too much trouble for its worth, Jay decided. Shirley might very well get impatient and set off the Cataclysm just because Senel wasn't coming ...

Hoseia shook his head. "It's not a matter of where. It's a matter of just luring it back to its rightful place." He stared at Kratos. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Kratos didn't reply. For a moment Jay was fleetingly reminded of Walter ... but Walter let his emotions show. He was more than happy to declare eternal hatred and bloodlust for the Orerines. Jay decided to break the uncomfortable silence.

"And how do we go about doing that?"

Here Kratos let some emotion show. He massaged his temple, ruffling his long crimson bangs. He was murmuring something incoherent under his breath, and Hoseia stared angrily at him. Jay was half-certain that Hoseia would unleash a more powerful wave of electricity, even if it would be only an accident.

Kratos heaved a sigh. "I'm not entirely sure if it will work on such a primitive Exsphere ... " his voice trailed off, as if trying to find another course of action.

Hoseia made no show of suppressing his power over lightning. He seemed to shimmer with electricity, and greater bolts of lightning flashed in an out of life in his hands.

"Hoseia, Senel has only lost his soul. He does not have Chronic Angelus Crystallus Inofficium."

Jay almost gawked at Kratos. What in the bloody name of all that is good and holy was Kratos talking about?

However, Hoseia seemed to understand. In fact, he seemed to have been struck with a bolt of not lightning, but inspiration.

"Yes, the Rune Crest won't fix this. He's already got a Key Crest anyway ... but! One thing that will most certainly work ... is the power of Nerifes."

Stella objected at once. "You won't be able to! You're not a Ferines ..." She trailed off, a look of shock upon her face.

Hoseia inclined his head, to show Stella what he meant. Kratos cleared his throat, choosing to speak, and perhaps pop the bubble of hope that had swelled within Jay.

"Will the power of Nerifes be enough to let Senel have his soul back?"

Hoseia glanced back and forth between Senel and Stella. He nodded, certain. "An alternative is to use the crystallization of Nerifes's power. However, the one Miss Telmes had, regrettably, shattered, and I doubt the Raging Nerifes would allow us to use such a thing. We have to meet the Merines herself. Was not a part of your aims to quell the Raging Nerifes, as well as the Merines?" He gave Kratos a pointed look.

Kratos looked, as well as Jay could describe, anyway, rather disagreeable. However, the way he saw it, there was no other option. He stiffly inclined his head, acknowledging Hoseia's idea. Hoseia turned to Stella, asking,

"Will you accompany us?"

Stella looked down at Senel's face, so relaxed, as if he were sleeping ... Her fingers trembled, and she firmly gripped the fabric of Senel's clothing. She nodded.

"Yes."

Finally, they were going to do what Jay had originally come to do ... fetch Senel and go to the Palace to stop Shirley. But now that Senel was soulless, that made things a bit more difficult. Jay sighed, stood up. He approached the tram, and in Norma fashion, kicked the side of the car. The ramp slid out seamlessly from the wall of the car.

One by one they filed into the tram, Stella carrying the unconscious Senel.

The ramp closed in after Tear and Kratos entered, and the engine revved up. Jay sat down, heaving an exasperated sigh. Finally. Finally.

_Merines, _Jay thought, _here we come!_

And a dark aura formed around Jay.

--

Hikaru: Bah, shorter than usual, but I'm kinda leaving for the other side of the country for the next seven days ... so I'll have to work on the next chapter in an actual notebook or something. Sigh. Knew I should've bought one of those miniature notebooks!


	19. The Decision

Hikaru: Argh, one of the worst things that can happen to embarrass you at formal occasions is attending a wedding ... sunburnt.

--

Shirley Fennes was pacing. Her aura, the glow of her teriques and Nerifes never ceased, and her eyes still glowed with the will of the sea. Her silken, turquoise train trailed the smooth coral floor as she paced. She was evidently trying to think of a way to hold down Grune (since she was unaffected by the binding teriques) and undoubtedly consulting Nerifes on the problem.

Finally, she stopped, frozen with fear. She instantly regained her composure, clearing her throat. She faced Grune.

"You are not a threat to me. In fact, it's doubtful you can even navigate the palace alone."

Grune took no offense, instead saying, "It would be safer to travel in numbers." with her airy voice.

Shirley ignored the rest of her captives. She turned to the set of double doors that led into the hallway beyond. Abruptly they burst open, and in came crawling the last person Chloe ever expected to see in the Mirage Palace.

Walter was not bleeding, nor was he even bruised. However, he seemed on the brink of death, and coughed with a raspy voice. His teriques drooped at his back, but he was not flying with them. It must've been all he could do to crawl.

"M-Merines ... " Walter rasped, eyes wide upon laying them on Shirley.

"Walter," Shirley said. Chloe wasn't sure, but it sounded almost as if Shirley were worried. Her suspicions were confirmed as Shirley sent over a small teriques across the hall to Walter. Upon touching him, it enveloped him in an aquamarine light, and Walter was lifted from the ground; the light carried him to Shirley.

The teriques gently set Walter at Shirley's feet. Walter did nothing, only breathed heavily.

Shirley bowed her head, hands clasped in prayer. Her radiance intensified, extending to the dying Walter. Shirley spoke softly in invocation.

"Great Nerifes, root of all creation, grant this soul the mist of life!"

The blue light enveloped Walter; Chloe couldn't clearly see him, only the silhouette of his body lying on the ground.

Shirley knelt beside Walter, placing her hands on his chest. Walter shuddered in breath.

"Revitalize!"

Once the bright light subsided, Walter's breathing eased, and the pained expression he wore was gone, replaced by the relaxed one of sleep. Shirley rose, a soft smile ghosting her features.

In that moment Chloe was struck with realization. Shirley had been almost continually betrayed. Few people were close to her, and most of those had been killed or alienated. All she had was to perform her duty as Merines. All she had left was Nerifes.

Chloe didn't notice the pain of the bind anymore. All she was aware of were the tears flowing down her face, and the immense difficulty of the situation if Senel didn't show up.

Chloe blinked the remainder of her tears back. She struggled, but she managed to place her hands on the ground, and, through invocation of her sacred eres, managed to sit upright. She did not make to grab her weapon, lying on the ground a few feet away. Struggling with the vicegrip of the teriques, Chloe stood.

"C-Chloe!" Will uttered, overwhelmed by the light restraining him.

Chloe tried to walk forward, toward Shirley. Immense pain washed over her with each step, but she forced one foot after another forward.

"Shirley ... please."

Shirley sharply glanced at Chloe, her eyes hardening, not soft when they had laid on Walter.

"Do not call me by that name."

Chloe ignored Shirley's statement. "Shirley, I don't want you to ... become a murderer. Senel doesn't want you to murder."

Now Chloe was close enough to touch Shirley, if she put her arm forward. She was making to do so; raising her arm, as if to put a hand on Shirley's shoulder. What happened next occurred quickly.

Chloe's arm was knocked away, and Chloe yelped at the sudden pain. When she looked at Shirley next, she didn't see the Merines. Walter stood before the Merines, wearing an angry scowl, his teriques flapping ominously at his back.

"Don't you dare," he spat, voice full of hatred, "touch the Merines!"

The power of Nerifes truly was astounding. Walter seemed near death, and yet Shirley, using the power of Nerifes, managed to heal him like new. If Walter had enough energy to spout insults, then he must be feeling quite good.

"Killing your people," Walter continued, "is not nearly enough to pay you back for all the crimes committed against us, the people of the water!"

Forcefully Chloe remembered the events of the Nerifes Cannon and the Altar of the Sea. Chloe looked at Walter, at the intense hate burning in his eyes.

"I've done nothing to you." She said flatly. "Those who did are long gone. It's not too late to coexist--"

Walter, in a lightning strike fashion, backhanded Chloe. She fell to the ground, stunned.

"Walter." Shirley said.

Walter smirked down at Chloe, clenching his hands into fists. "I won't kill them."

Walter opened his hands, and he began to glow.

--

Jay watched Stella for the majority of the tram ride into the Palace. She sat calmly on the cushioned bench, with Senel's head on her lap. She was looking at his face, her slender fingers stroking Senel's silvery white hair. Stella's expression remained unreadable, but Jay was certain that Stella was feeling anything but stoic.

Hoseia sat on the bench opposite Stella, arms folded, brows furrowed, legs crossed, and looking quite moody. Jay supposed that he was still feeling anger toward Kratos.

Kratos was seated next to Tear, on the same bench Jay sat on. Kratos, too, folded his arms, but his expression was, like Stella's, unreadable. Tear looked quite worried with that frown, however small it may be.

Jay was not quite certain how he felt about his new ... allies, or about the fact that they were going to face the Merines with a soulless Senel. It seemed cruel, but it might just convince Shirley to help them and not to start the Cataclysm. A test of loyalty and trustworthiness of sorts.

Jay could relate to Shirley, if only a little. For Jay, it'd been hard to open up, not knowing who to trust, having certain ways of thinking thrust upon him and with no room for argument. It'd taken a long while for Jay to crawl out of his airtight shell. Almost a year, the Oresoren had told him. It'd been a relief to be open and true to himself ...

Of course Jay still had his doubts. He was not the hope of an entire people, the savior who had been awaited for four thousand years. He was not held responsible for anything bad happening to the Ferines. He was not expected to be perfect, to commit mass murder to gain acceptance, and only after to die in the process.

"Stella." Jay said softly. Stella didn't look up from her love's face. "How are you feeling?" Jay thought it was a stupid question right after it flew out of his mouth.

To his immense surprise, Stella did answer. She sounded calm. "It's ironic. We were in love. We were separated from one another, I separated from him to protect him and Shirley. He finds me again, in a state of unconsciousness. When I am finally returned to my body, I died in his eyes. Now we are united again and this time it's he that is unconscious."

Kratos abruptly spoke. "Senel probably knows you are truly alive now. Just because his soul is not in his body right now, doesn't mean he can't see what's going on."

Stella nodded, a ghost of a smile on her face. "Yes. I was the same when my soul was in tune with the Legacy."

A long silence pervaded after that. The others were evidently wrapped up in their own thoughts, not interested in making conversation. Jay wondered how Shirley would take Stella being alive. Probably as confirmation that Senel would never love her as anything more than a sister, or that it was in fact another betrayal. That her supposed enemies would have her sister, not Shirley.

However, Jay thought that having Stella and Senel together persuading Shirley would be a great advantage. Two people supposedly lost to her coming back to her. To show her she wasn't alone.

In that moment, Jay felt alone. For the first time, he felt the impact of being of an entirely different race. He felt ... distant to the people he knew, even the Oresoren, whom he had grown to love.

Something nudged at Jay's hand. He looked down at it, and saw the silhouette of a dark, inky black galf. It lay on the bench next to Jay, and it was nudging his hand. Jay smiled. Even if he were "alone," he was never truly alone. He was the darkness.

Looking fondly at the shadow galf, Jay mouthed the words "thank you."

--

Chloe was thrown across the hall, the teriques binding her vanished as Walter had hit her. She skidded to a halt far from Walter and Shirley, stunned, eyes wide, her bruises aching. Will shouted at Walter.

"What do you hope to accomplish by beating us to death!?"

Walter now walked toward Grune, who remained unaffected by Shirley's teriques. He still wore that smile upon his face, and the glow in his hands intensified. Whatever had had done to Chloe, he apparently planned to deal that to Grune, twicefold. As he closed distance between himself and Grune, he began to talk.

"Filthy Orerines ... you are a plague, to be destroyed."

Chloe coughed, but not blood. Glad she wasn't suffering from internal bleeding, she sat up and shouted:

"Grune! Defend yourself!"

Strangely enough, Grune got the message. She held her vase, and crystal eres enveloped her, enough that she got her own radiance--a leaf green aura. This time her crystal eres was of earthen origin.

"Gateway to the sacred power flowing deep within the earth, arise and show the truth of your divinity!"

Chloe, as well as the others, looked on, stunned. Grune's voice sounded different. Not lofty or airy, but ... serious, with an almost noble ring to it. Her eyes had also changed. The color remained the same, but the look of them didn't.

Walter didn't stop his advance, even though he was confused at Grune's incantation. Instead, he took to her at a run, becoming a blur of blue as he ran.

Luckily, Grune was an accomplished speed-caster.

She raised her hand, the other one holding her vase close. Her voice rang powerfully throughout the chamber. If Mother Earth had a voice, this would be it.

Walter was mere inches from Grune when she finished her spell.

"Rise, Yggdrasill!"

The coral ground broke, buckling, as it had with Norma's Ground Dasher spell. Instead of creating a rift in the earth, Grune's eres had spouted mounds of earth, and out of its depths sprang forth young tree saplings. The saplings rapidly grew and strengthened, winding themselves around Walter so as to trap him in a cage of sorts.

Leaves bloomed on the branches the trees gained as they quickly aged, becoming taller and taller, containing Walter, rising him high above the ground. The bark grew darker and harder, and the roots became gnarled, some of them sprawled on the buckled coral floor.

Chloe watched, speechless. The spell was magnificent, beautiful ... but also horrifying. Chloe never wanted to see it again.

Water seeped from the hole where the giant tree had come from.

"Walter!" Shirley shrieked, the hold Nerifes had on her temporily lost.

Csaba and Ven leapt to their feet, and the others were getting up, too. In her shock, Shirley must've recalled her teriques.

Csaba nocked an arrow to his bowstring; Chloe thought that he was going to shoot Shirley. But she was mistaken; when Csaba had loosed his arrow, it hit mere inches from Walter, the fletched end vibrated rapidly beside him, the arrowhead embedded deep in the tree bark.

"That's a warning!" Csaba shouted, angry. "Hurt my friends again, and next time my aim will be more accurate!"

Walter struggled against his bindings; tree branches bound his arms and legs. Ven crowed at Walter, baring her fangs, her killing claws scraping the ground.

Giet howled upon being released, and Moses breathed out a sigh of relief. Norma proclaimed aches and swallowed a gel. Will had merely readjusted his glasses, and Grune apparently forgot the powerful eres she cast, staring blankly at the giant tree.

Will had the sense to go on the defensive first. He wasn't sure if it would protect against the teriques bind, but it was the best shot they had.

"Shelter!"

The familar blanket of protection rose over every one of his allies, even the beasts.

Shirley's eyes darkened as Nerifes held sway over her once again.

"You intend to fight me, the agent of Nerifes?"

"If that's what it takes!" Csaba and Moses screeched simultaneously, weapons raised. Their beasts roared their agreement.

Chloe jumped to her feet, breathless. "No, we don't want to fight! We just want to talk, Shirley!"

Shirley wryly smiled, stepped forward. "What is there to talk about? I'm the Merines. It's my duty to obey the will of Nerifes. And Nerifes wants you Orerines gone. I'm getting impatient. If my brother does not come in an hour, I will activate the Wings of Light."

"Lower your weapons!" Chloe shouted at Csaba and Moses. They looked affronted, but obeyed. Will held onto his iron hammer, a light sheen of sweat on his brow.

"Merines!" Walter yelled from his lofty perch. The tree and the Ferines it held captive were so high above the ground that Chloe couldn't see his face clearly. It was amazing that Csaba managed to hit so close to Walter.

Chloe glared at Walter as she retrieved Excalibur, sheathing it. Norma was twirling her straw like a baton, probably aching to get a crystal eres smack on Walter. Will sighed, resigned. He lowered his hammer so that it was upright at his side, harmless.

"We should do as the Merines says. Everything will be decided in an hour."

--

Stella was quite an able fighter, even carrying Senel piggy-back style. They were already quite far in the Mirage Palace; Jay knew the place well enough by now, and his shadow galf helped him out when he got uncertain. Stella knew plenty of water based crystal eres, some of which Jay had already seen Walter conjure: Spread, Splash, Blessed Drops, Meditation, Mighty Deluge, and Maelstrom. In fact, Jay wouldn't be surprised if Stella had a Tidal or Rogue Wave tucked up her sleeve.

Curiously enough, Stella also knew many earth based and fire based eres. Most notable of them were Ground Dasher, Rolling Stone, Raging Mist, and Explosion. Stella also used her phoenix shaped teriques to attack if a monster got too close.

Tear and Kratos kept their places as powerful fighters; Tear with her hymns and Kratos with his iron eres. Hoseia could fight, too, something that half-surprised Jay. He, of course, specialized in lightning, in both melee and magic. Most notable of the spells were Spark Wave and an Indigation that would put Will's to shame.

Well, that would be expected of a being born of lightning.

Jay paid his keep. With his "awakening" and deeper understanding of his power over darkness, not only his Curse iron eres got signifcantly stronger, but the other elemental eres as well. In fact, if the others stepped back for half a second, Jay would've exterminated all living obstacles in the way, and perhaps some abiotic ones.

Nevertheless, they ran into tight spots at the Chaotic Zones, in which Jay's shadow galf helped significantly.

Half an hour had passed when the group decided to rest in the set of rooms before the hallway that led into the chamber where the Merines, and possibly the others, waited. They lunched on a meal prepared by a collaboration of Tear and Stella.

During the meal, Tear had stood and asked to speak with Kratos alone. Jay suspected it involved her working with him. Why she wanted to speak to Kratos privately was strange; everyone here save Senel knew that Tear and Kratos came from foreign planets.

They seemed to be arguing. Kratos was his usual self, but Tear seemed to be losing control of her emotions, appearing saddened, and then immensely angry. Kratos merely shook his head at something Tear said, and she fell silent, face blank in shock.

When the two rejoined the meal, they were both silent, and Tear crestfallen. Jay wondered what they argued about. He shrugged it off; he'd find that out later.

Once they had finished the meal, Jay stood, taking his role as the assumed "leader" of the group. He faced the halls ahead, a grim expression of determination etched on his face. Dagger in hand, he led the way, the others following suit, Stella right behind him with Senel. The other worlders trailed behind.

When they faced the set of double doors that led to the Merines's keep, Jay stepped back, looking at Stella. She stared back, bewildered.

"You should probably go on." Jay said, gesturing for her to go first.

Stella nodded, a sad smile upon her face. She placed a hand on the doors, began pushing them open ...

Jay heard screams from the other side of the doors.

--

Hikaru: CLIFFHANGER!! Hahah. I also made Shirley uber evil! Oops, I forgot about Maurits ... Well, then, I'll make sure he appears next chapter!


	20. Betrayal

Hikaru: The big twentieth chapter! Whoot!

--

Alarmed, Jay rushed into the throne room, the others on his tail. The screaming still pressed invasively against his eardrums, threatening to deafen him. Who was screaming? What was happening?

Across the hall, nearer the throne that once belonged to the leader of the Terises era, was the source of the screams. A creature lay on the floor by Moses's friend Csaba, thrashing in pain, screaming. Jay instantly recognized it as Csaba's beast, the raptor Ven. When they got closer, they saw the raptor bleeding, and Csaba trying to stop it, Norma and Will preparing healing arts.

Jay stopped dead before the throne. The Merines stood, an angry expression on her face, negative emotions burning in her eyes.

"You bitch!" Csaba screeched, trying to calm down his beast, fumbling for gels.

Jay cleared his throat, announcing his presence.

"You!" Walter roared from his lofty perch, at the top of an impossibly tall tree--Jay blinked. How did such a large tree get in here?

"Merines!" Jay called, and Shirley turned to face him, her expression unchanged. Jay had nothing else to say. He merely stepped aside, and allowed Stella, carrying the unconscious Senel forward.

Shirley's eyes went wide, and her limbs were trembling at the sight of her sister carrying what appeared to be a dead Senel. She fell to her knees, eyes brimming with tears. Ven continued her screeches of pain, despite Will and Norma's ongoing healing.

"No ... " Shirley whispered. "How? It can't be! And S-Senel ... "

Stella knelt next to Shirley, Senel between them. Stella spoke softly. "Shirley. I'm here, alive. I never died. I was only comatose, and returned to my body. But here, Senel ... he's alive. See? He's breathing."

Stella took one of Shirley's hands, placing it on Senel's subtly rising and falling chest, the only indication he lived still.

Ven stopped screaming. Will and Norma inhaled deeply, having used their strongest healing arts to save the beast. Csaba stroked the beast's neck, whispering soothing words of comfort.

"Jay, where the hell on the Legacy have you been?" Moses demanded. Jay ignored him, watching Stella and Shirley intently. If this did not work, then ... nothing would. They would have to kill the Merines if she did not agree to stop the Cataclysm.

Shirley screamed. "Why? Why have you stayed in obscurity, Stella!? Why couldn't you have been there for me at the Altar of the Sea? Why couldn't you have been there when Fenimore died? And now--what's this with Senel! You say he's alive, but--"

Stella cut her off midsentence. "He's only lost his soul, as I have before. Do you truly love him, Shirley? Do you want him to live like this, a soulless shell, unable to help himself?"

Oh, man. This was a test of loyalties from the very depths of hell ... if the Ferines had one. Shirley remained silent for a time, battling internally with herself, her emotions, and no doubt Nerifes wasn't helping her one bit. It was then Jay noticed his other allies staring at Hoseia, Kratos, and Tear, people they've never seen before.

Jay also noticed Kratos was acting strangely. He was unnaturally still, even for him. It seemed like he wouldn't even dare to breathe until this situation was resolved.

Jay averted his gaze to Stella and Shirley, hoping for the best.

His heart soared when Shirley laid hands on Senel, glowing blue, using the power of Nerifes. A sudden thought occurred. If Shirley used Nerifes's power against its will, what will happen to Shirley?

Jay had a crazy urge to stop Shirley from using the power of Nerifes, but he could not speak. Strangely, he felt the power at work, focused on Senel's live, soulless body. It was like the Exsphere had "locked" out Senel's soul, and Shirley now was forcing those locks open, to allow the soul back in.

Souls were attracted to their original bodies like magnets, so it was very sudden when a soul forced out of its home returned to its vessel.

Just like Senel's soul returned now. There was a blinding flash of bluish-white light, and Senel lay there, still unconscious. Stella gently shook Senel awake, and slowly, his eyes opened, blinking.

Jay shouldn't have heard Senel's words so far off, but he heard them loud and clear:

"Wh-where am I?"

Kratos, standing near Jay, frowned deeply. Jay's jaw dropped. What was with Kratos now? Then Jay's guard rose, and so did his suspicion of Kratos. Senel, the key element to Kratos's plans, was now awake, soul reclaimed. Jay began to doubt now whether or not Kratos would stick around long enough to actually prevent the Cataclysm.

Jay reached for his dagger, mentally calling to his shadow guardian.

--

"Wh-where am I?" Senel blinked, groggy. His limbs were immensely heavy, and not just because of his weights. Abruptly he found he could sit upright, and did so in a lightning-quick fashion. Two female hands held each of his--Stella held his left hand, and Shirley his right. They both held his hands firmly, and Senel felt a surge of guilt.

That's right. Stella was alive. Alive. While his soul was out of his body, it was like those astral experiences he heard about. It was dream-like, but Senel knew it to be true--Stella alive, right beside him. He could have screamed for joy, but knew better with the Merines on his other side.

Senel and Stella were here to stop Shirley from summoning the Wings of Light and committing mass, global murder just to appease the Raging Nerifes. Reluctantly, Senel withdrew his hand from Stella's, turning to face Shirley, whose face was streaked with tears. He placed his free had upon the one Shirley held his with--and a teardrop fell on Senel's hand.

"Shirley." Senel said softly. "Tell me one thing. Is this what you really want?"

It was already evident in her expression, and the way she silently wept.

Senel tried to focus on Shirley. She needed him now, more than ever. But his head hurt, ached, pounding, as if a beast's heart had taken up residence there.

He tried to ignore it. Images flashed within his mind--a great silver moon in the sea of stars, accompanied by seven others of differing colors, great buildings and structures like the Ruins of Frozen Light, flying ships, an entire ocean disappeearing, Ferines fighitng with another race similar to their own, and what looked like the ancestors of the Orerines fleeing their planet with a starship.

Words ran through his head. Cruxis, Stellar War, Empires, moonstones, moon crystals, Silvites ...

All at once it rippled through his body like an electric shock. Dream-like memories of years long gone, long before his inclusion of the Crusand military, and a fantastic, silver shrine suspended in the sea of stars, below the all-encompassing silver moon ...

Without meaning to, Senel's grip on Shirley's hand tightened, and she answered quickly. "No! I don't want this! I tried to force it out of me, but I can't ... Killing so many is ... unthinkable!" With that, she threw her arms around Senel, and he returned the hug, trying to keep at bay the memories--if they in fact were memories.

"Merines! No!" Walter shouted, struggling against the thick tree branches caging him.

The one born of electricity, Hoseia, gasped. "Kratos! It's awakened! Look!"

Senel didn't know what he was talking about--until he looked at the back of his right hand. A half-spherical silver crystal radiated white light, dazzling him. But there wasn't anything on his hand ... Not supposed to be. The hand where the crystal burned.

Kratos stepped forward, a body's length away from Senel, Stella, and Shirley. He rummaged in his item bag, withdrawing a strange object, round and silver. He spoke to it.

"Objective achieved. Target's Silver Moon Crystal has awakened, so no doubt so have his memories. Have the Devlin waiting outside the Mirage Palace on the Legacy, planet Melfes."

Kratos stowed the item away in his bag. He drew his sword, walking toward the Ferines sisters and Senel, who now stood.

"Kratos?" Senel asked tentatively. "What's going on?"

Kratos didn't answer. He looked to Stella. "If you value his life, step aside."

Stella's eyes were wide, but she stood, a grim frown set in her features. She began to glow gold, invoking her teriques.

"If you want Senel," she whispered dangerously, "you'll have to go through me."

What happened next happened very quickly. Kratos fired a Demon Fang at Stella, who raised a shield teriques to deflect it. Shirley pushed Senel away from Kratos with her own teriques, and she began chanting for a crystal eres.

The others had caught on by now; everyone was moving against Kratos ...

Except Tear and Hoseia. Tear at once moved to Kratos's aid, and Hoseia did the same, calling forth his lance of lightning.

"_Va Neu Va Rei Va Neu Va Zue Rei . . ." _Tear sang the hymn Judgment. Pillars of fire rained from the ceiling, and those participating in battle had a hard time avoiding it.

"Stella! Shirley!" Senel shouted, rushing to the fight. Who cared if he can't use eres up here? But as he rushed to join the fray, he felt the familiar, his body brimming with eres.

Jay engaged Kratos in battle first. They exchanged heated blows, Jay with his dark eres, aided by his shadow galf, Kratos with his eres. Tear sang hymns that affected the entire battlefield. Hoseia cast lightning spells Senel had never heard tell of, ones like the Electrum spell Hoseia had used against Senel before.

"Kratos!" Hoseia called as he threw his spear at Csaba, who was reloading his bow, shielding the resting Ven. "Take Senel and go, now!"

"Over my dead body!" Chloe shouted, taking a slash at Hoseia, who was apparently defenseless and unarmed. Hoseia crackled with electricity, chanting very quickly,

"Great Moon crackling with the power of creation, bestow upon me your power and bring down those that oppose you! Electrulen!"

A huge blast of electricity threw Chloe back, screaming and writhing in pain. Excalibur clattered away on the floor.

"You bastard!" Norma shouted, already charging for an eres. "Celestial traveler, I call upon thee to lead my enemies to their final rest under heaven's menacing glare! Meteor Storm!"

Flaming meteors pelted on the battlefield, leaving great craters in the throne room. Kratos had blasted a meteor headed his way with a powerful Lightning Blade, Tear dodged hers, and Hoseia countered a meteor with a bolt of lightning.

Will was healing the injured, heading over to Tear after he healed poor Csaba. Csaba shakily grabbed his bow, nocking it with arrows. He aimed at Tear. If you want to shoot the leader, aim first for his horse.

"Sonic Blast!" Csaba let his arrows fly, each one bearing the immense power of a crushing wind. Tear got hit once, and deflected the others with the Second Hymn.

Giet called a Rolling Stone, but it was destroyed by Hoseia.

Jay got close to Kratos, his shadow galf following faithfully. His blade glowed darkly as he and Kratos exchanged blows.

Senel leapt in front of Shirley and Stella to use a defensive eres to absorb Tear's Grand Cross hymn. Senel hoped to high heaven and deep sea that Tear would not use the Seventh Hymn.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity of chaotic anarchy in the throne room, Kratos shouted, "Enough!" and a blinding light flashed briefly in the chamber. When Senel could look properly again, Kratos ... he blinked. Kratos bore wings of blue, similar to Shirley's teriques.

"What?!" Senel shouted. He felt stunned. He'd seen wings like those in a dream once! Why ... Kratos ...

Kratos leapt into the air. He dived; Senel shoved Stella and Shirley out of harm's way. Senel felt an arm wrap around his waist in an unbreakable vicegrip, and then his body was lifted from the ground, high in the air. From a bird's eye view Senel saw the havoc wreaked upon the throne room.

Senel realized: Kratos had him, and was now flying out of the Mirage Palace.

"What about your promise!?" Senel found himself shouting. Kratos promised to stop the Cataclysm ...

Kratos didn't answer, merely flew on. With inhuman strength Kratos held onto Senel. Senel struggled, but his arm was pinned to his side thanks to Kratos's iron grip.

The throne room was getting further and further away as Kratos sped for the halls beyond.

Senel screamed.

"Stella!"

--

Senel was gone. Gone. That scum-sucking bastard Kratos suddenly sprouted wings and kidnapped him. Chloe leapt to her feet, despite Will's protest that she was not yet fully healed. The first person she saw as an enemy--Tear--Chloe charged, sword in hand.

"You _bitch! _Give me back Coolidge!" Chloe screeched, attacking the hymnist with a Phantom Blade.

Tear stopped the whirlwind eres, merely blocking the sword with her staff. She looked stunned. Perhaps she had not been expecting her accomplice to run out on her. Tear looked Chloe in the eye, her face expressionless.

"Go after Kratos. You won't catch him. By now the Devlin will have landed outside here."

Hoseia pulled Chloe off Tear; Chloe was too shocked to attack. "Tear, go after Kratos. He'll wait for you. He'll take you back to Auldrant." Tear opened her mouth to protest, but Hoseia cut her off midsentence. "No! Auldrant will be taken care of. Go!"

Tear said nothing else, fleeing.

Jay made to go after her, when Hoseia chanted another lightning spell.

"Brilliant vanguard of the heavens, unleash thy furious thunder and divine lightning! Indignation!"

Purple sparks drifted skywards; Jay saw them and leapt back, further away from the retreating Tear. Not a moment after, a great dome of lightning flashed with a centralized bolt of lightning. If Jay hadn't moved ...

Chloe shook Hoseia off her, holding Excalibur at the ready once more.

"What's the meaning of this? Tell me!"

"Yes," Will said, standing up, shouldering his hammer. "An explanation would be nice."

Hoseia opened his hand, and his lance disappeared in a flash of purple. "Something much greater than the petty conflicts of this planet is at stake. It's all up to Senel, and Kratos is merely trying to prevent it."

"Petty conflicts?!" Shirley and Chloe shrieked simultaneously. Stella was too stunned to speak.

Hoseia nodded. "Yes, petty conflicts. Look at what's the same, instead of what's different."

An ongoing silence prevailed. Chloe found a lot of truth in her enemy's words, as much as she didn't want to admit it.

Jay broke the silence, his shadow galf standing beside him. "Just what is Kratos trying to prevent?!"

Hoseia chuckled lowly. "The destruction of a world."

--

Hikaru: Whew! Writing out such a big battle scene wasn't easy. I'm sorry if this chapter doesn't make much sense--it will next one.


	21. Truth

Hikaru: Rargh, school has started! This year, I became a big, bad Junior. You'd think becoming an upperclassman would be more ... glorious, but alas, that is not the case. Many people think I'm still a Sophomore or even a Freshman ...

--

Hoseia was seated on the royal throne of Terises, where the Merines Shirley had sat only minutes ago. This desecration had Walter (from his lofty, leafy perch) screaming to kill the offender, but everyone else wanted to hear the explation behind this, and so Norma cast a Silence eres on the bound Ferines.

Stella and Shirley were the first to demand answers.

"Explain what Senel has to do with another planet's fate." Stella said, a dangerous glint in her eye, her gold teriques still at her back. Shirley's teriques was at her back, too. Standing side by side, the Ferines sisters contrasted one another nicely.

Hoseia smiled here, even outnumbered by a band of angry erens plus a Merines. He held out his hands, and appearing at his fingertips was a holographic LCD screen, a keyboard, onto which Hoseia rapidly typed. The throne on which he sat glowed, similar to how it had when Shirley was in the process of reviving the Wings of Light. However, instead of the bluish white light that had manifested with Shirley's power, this light was of an unruly, crackling, purple and yellow form of electricity.

The coral floor glowed, and from the throne to the entire throne room, the room changed. Instead of the coral throne room, the erens and Merines found they stood in outer space. Chloe had another outburst until Jay calmed her, explaining that, as with the projections of the Quiet Nerifes, this was not real.

In the middle of the space, there was a moderately sized planet of white and blue--the planet commonly called Melfes by the Ferines, or Shining Blue. Hoseia's voice was magnified to reach throughout the room.

_"This is your planet, Melfes. About ten light-years away from Melfes is the planet whose fate is in question--Auldrant."_

As the erens stood in place, the scene panned away from Melfes, to another planet. This one was much, much bigger than Melfes, although it looked similar in regards to having clouds, water, and land.

_"You see those rings around the planet? Essiential components of Auldrant's matter, fonons, originate there and diffuse into the planet's atmosphere and beyond through that belt. The fon belt is disrupted, presumably an asteroid caught within Auldrant's orbit is now orbiting the planet within the fon belt, messing up the layers and the diffusion onto Auldrant, thereby wreaking weather and elemental havoc. Life-threatening storms are now near-commonplace on that planet."_

"Tragic," Jay said in a matter-of-factly manner, "but that doesn't explain where Senel and Kratos come in."

Hoseia's voice was irritable. _"I'm getting to that. Auldrantian technology is fairly advanced; they can fly, although the planes belong to a few people and aren't mass-produced. They cannot go into space to neutralize the threat in the fon belt. The leaders of the world thought their civilization doomed, and although it is only a temporary solution, the civillians of the planet are currently in underground shelters. That is when Kratos appeared on Auldrant."_

They zoomed in on the planet, through the disrupted fon belt, through the atmosphere, descending into a domed city that seemed to be floating on the shallower parts of the ocean. In what appeared to be a meeting room people, the presumed leaders of Auldrant, sat at a long table, Kratos among them. Kratos and the leaders exchanged many words, but no one could hear their actual speech.

_"Kratos hails from a planet that has the technology to neutralize the threat. Kratos requested only one thing in return--to enlist the aid of a powerful warrior to carry out a certain mission."_

Tear walked into the meeting room, and there she appeared to introduce herself to Kratos, and they shook hands. The view zoomed out from the planet, returning to the illusion of outer space. It zoomed through the stars again until another planet came into sight. This planet was by far the largest, and, as if tethered there, seven moons of differing colors were enthroned in space.

_"Now. This is my home planet, Arcadia. It has changed a lot over the course of four thousand years. It used to have an ocean. Now there is naught but air, and by some miracle land still exists, and so do people and living civilizations. It is important that you pay attention. Underneath each Moon was an ancient civilization that harnessed the specific power of their Moon. The two we will focus on are the Silver and Blue Civilizations."_

The erens, although stationary, dived into the planet, and they stood on ocean, underneath a great silver moon in the sky. Jay had a fuzzy, strange feeling. On the ocean appeared a single person, clothed in silver, gold, and white with mysterious, intricate designs.

_"That is a Silvite, of the Silver Civilization. While each Civilization, or Empire, were countries in their own right, their people still traveled through them, immigrating, settling, and so on. The most common people were those from the lands under the Green Moon, the Moon bearing the energy of life. Now, each people from under their Moon had evolved with the characterisitics of their Moon."_

The scenery changed, and now they stood on a sea that shone the most magnificent blue, not unlike the sea on this planet, Melfes. The buildings underneath the Blue Moon were coral designed and colored ... Everyone let out bursts of shock. Appearing before them was another person that was hauntingly familar. Fair skin, blue or green eyes, with golden yellow hair ... dressed in blues, whites, greens, with specific robe and petal designs.

"Ferines." Walter said tonelessly, the Silence eres having worn off. Despite his lack of vocal emotion, he must have been totally stunned.

_"Yes, Ferines, commonly called Azurites in the Arcadian language. The Blue Moon has power of wind and water. Observe,"_

The Ferines onscreen, a woman, flashed, and she bore wings on her back, her teriques. She glowed with power.

_"And there was no Nerifes. Azurites, Ferines ancestors, worshipped their Moon, as every other Empire did. As I'm sure you can gather, Arcadia was already filled with different races and civilizations and cultures. It wasn't long before relations between Empires crumbled and gave rise to war."_

Great beings it looked like rose from each Empire, meeting one another, dealing death and destruction in spades.

_"Ancient Arcadia was advanced enough to travel through space. The Silvites had enlisted the aid of Cruxis, an organization on a nearby planet, while the Azurites had an alliance with Dawn Age Auldrant. The two Empires had already brought all the others to their knees, and those were the only major powers on Arcadia left. To fight the Azurites, Silvite spies had stolen special Moonstones imbued with great powers of the Blue Moon and distributed them to Cruxis. Cruxis already had such things in their possession, but these were of a greater power."_

Jay's jaw dropped, unhinged, amethyst eyes wide. "Is that why ... Kratos has wings that vaguely resemble teriques?"

Hoseia nodded. _"Kratos is from Cruxis, and yes, the Cruxis Crystals were brought over from Arcadia. Anyway, Cruxis's people, called angels with powerful abilities and magic, allied with Silvites to fight the Azurites and Dawn Age Auldrantians. That is the InterStellar War. The fight between the Empires with their mixed armies and superweapons had a catastrophic consquence for Arcadia--the power of the Silver Gigas Zelos had erased the ocean from existence."_

The event replayed on the sea. Flying Azurites, angels, and Auldrantians and Silvites flew in vehicles warred, and towering over them were two giant beings of power. The Silver Gigas resembled a sphere, shining silver, and its attacks were all-powerful. The Blue Gigas was a giant bird, its wings quite reminiscent of a teriques. When the attacks of the Blue and Silver Gigas collided, a huge flash encompassed all, and when it died down, the structure of the planet had changed--there was no more ocean, and the remaining landmasses floated on air.

_"The Silver Moon has power over the void, that is, nothing and therefore everything. I suspect it is because of Zelos's power that the landmasses were able to float like they do. Anyway, bitter and torn, many civilians resented the war their countries were involved in, and left planet Arcadia."_

The projection showed disheartened Silvite and Azurite civilians in their respective nations.

_"The Azurites left first. They found a planet, a barren rock--and settled there. Using a Blue Moon Crystal--the purest form of Moonstone carrying the Lunar powers--the Azurites gave birth to a new sea and therefore Nerifes; such was the power of the Blue Moon. The discontented Silvites, however, were not able to leave. Two thousand years later, the Empires were at their peak of power once again, and once more world war raged. This time, all nations were equaled in strength, and they kept killing Arcadians, taking the lives of many innocents using their Gigas. The Silvites were at a loss as to what to do. Deciding they were acting for the best, half the Silvites were chosen to leave the planet for a new one, and the other half ascended into space, below the Silver Moon, being as watchers for Arcadia."_

The projection showed seven Silvite mages. Using the power of their Silver moonstones, they were doing something with Zelos. Seven crystals were embedded in Zelos's silver epidermis, each shaped differently and shining their own color, arranged in a circular manner. Jay already had a suspicion about what was going to happen next. The Arcadians, regardless of under which Moon they originated, suffered from the world war. And the thing that had caused the world war was the possesion of extreme power ... the Gigas.

Hoseia already said that Zelos had power over the void, nothing, which is essentially everything. If the goal of the Silvites was to take action in such a way that there would be no more world war ...

_"The next and not necessarily the last war atrocity occurred. While it may have been conceived with 'good' intentions, I can assure you, it is not. Using Zelos's power, the Silvites of the Great Silver Shrine called to the Seven Moons and ... the Rains of Destruction occurred."_

Each of the Seven Moons glowed, radiating their color, even in the darkness of space. Then, bits and pieces of the Moons--certainly large to a human perspective--began to fall, burning in the atmosphere of Arcadia. The floating lands were pelted with moonstones, some huge enough to be an island in their own right. Millions died, there was no question of that.

_"The Rains destroyed the Empires, their cities, their people, and weapons. Technology was lost. People had to begin anew. Silvites descended from the Great Silver Shrine and sealed the other Gigas and their Moon Crystal, the controlling device of these superweapons."_

"Controlling a powerful, sentient being using a crystal ... does that sound familiar, Walter?" Will said loudly, in an exaggerated tone.

Hoseia cleared his throat loudly. The projection changed. What Jay assumed to be the Great Silver Shrine was a huge building, shaped like a third-dimensional hexagon, shining silver. When the projection changed again, it showed a great silver ship moving among the seas of stars. Large, silver, and rectangular ...

"That's ... the Legacy base." Chloe said bluntly, shocked.

_"One of the abilities of the Legacy is to detect the nearest life-supporting planet. Which, on their voyage, turned out to be--"_

"Melfes." Every person in the room echoed.

Hoseia nodded, still seated on the throne.

_"Precisely. You have learned an important thing--Orerines and Ferines have the same origins,although under a different Moon. Your people are analagous to cousins. Which means I, Reno, and Nievia would be like second cousins, since we are directly descended from Arcadia. However, that is irrelevent. What Kratos is trying to accomplish ... is deeply tied with Auldrant, Cruxis, and the Silvites of the Great Silver Shrine."_

Jay chose this moment to propose his own thoughts on things. "You mean Auldrant is the planet that needs saving, and Cruxis sent Kratos over to help? Or, rather, the Silvites had Cruxis send someone?"

Hoseia was silent for a time before he spoke again.

_"Cruxis, based on the comet Derris-Kharlan, which is currently anchored to a planet, maintained friendly relations with the Silvites even thousands of years after their alliance, unlike Auldrantians, whose advanced technology was lost. I myself don't know why exactly the Cruxis are helping the Silvites ... perhaps some pact is in place between them? Anyway, the only thing that concerns you is Senel, Kratos, and this planet ... so we will continue. Even though I don't know why the Cruxis are helping the Silvites, I at least know why the Silvites turned to their long-time ally for help. The Silvites think of themselves as the watchers of Arcadia and therefore what is best for the planet or not. In other words ... if Arcadians prove to be as foolish as the ones who caused the Inter-Stellar War and the Gigas War, the Silvites will send one of their people to collect the Moon Crystals and bring them back up to the Shrine to use the Rains of Destruction to eradicate the majority of mankind, so it will have to start over."_

Another suffocating silence constricted the hall.

_"Now, Senel is not from Melfes." _The silence turned into shocked outburst. Hoseia cleared his throat again to silence them. _"You saw so yourself several times. Senel is the strongest person among Orerines, with or without eres. Anyway, the Silvites that came here are indeed your ancestors, but without the Silver Moon and its moonstone, genetic mutation and isolation made you into the race you are today. Thereby, Senel is still an Orerines, but once again, your second cousin in terms of species. Senel is a Silvite. He's got silver-white hair, a characterisitic of the Silver Empire. And you all saw it before Kratos took him--the silver crystal shining on Senel's hand?"_

There was no denying it. Everyone, particularly Stella and Shirley, recalled how the mysterious silver crystal shone just moments before Kratos had nabbed him. Jay frowned, even more alarmed by this fact. So, Senel was not a true Orerines, either ... was he the same as Jay? Were Senel and Jay's origins the same?

_"Senel coming here was not an accident. When Senel was a child, maybe at the age of four or five years, someone tried to steal Senel from the Great Silver Shrine. They indeed succeeded, but the kidnapper's identity remains unknown, for he or she died in the attempt to escape. The motives behind the kidnapping were unknown, unless the kidnapper tried to blackmail the Silvites by taking one of their clan ... but it would have to be someone from Cruxis or with access to Cruxis's space-traveling technology. Silvites still have advanced technology, but lost the interest and technology necessary for interstellar travel. They still communicate with Cruxis, but when interstellar travel is involved, Cruxis sends the ships. So, anyway, Senel is orphaned on Melfes, and the rest is history."_

Jay furrowed his eyebrows. Something just didn't match up ... "But why would Cruxis spend its time and effort saving a planet that had allied itself with an enemy before? And why did Kratos need to enlist Tear's aid?"

_"That, I don't know. I don't know much about Cruxis itself to begin with, only their technology level, race of people, and such basic info. To me, it sounds like Cruxis doesn't really care about whether or not Auldrant is destroyed ... but decided to save it on a whim. And when the parents of Senel found out their son still lived, they appealed to Cruxis to get him back, and the mission fell to Kratos."_

The projection ended, the lights and elaborate visuals disappearing. The throne room returned to normal, and Hoseia was slumped in the throne, having used a tremendous amount of his energy to create the projection. He still had strength enough to speak.

"You see ... that is why ... your conflicts are ... petty. Even Nerifes should ... know that the Ore ... rines are the cousins of the Ferines. It was just like the Kharlan War that gave rise to Cruxis."

Shirley began to shine radiantly, the way she had when she had been seated on the throne to revive the Wings of Light. The erens gave shuddery gasps of shock; what was happening? Was Nerifes ... attempting to speak through Shirley?

Hoseia seemed to suspect as much. Hands pushing on the arm rests of the throne, he pulled himself to an upright sit. Beads of sweat rolling down his face, Hoseia addressed Shirley, or rather, Nerifes.

"Is this really what you want, Nerifes? To repeat the same mistakes, to keep on this endless cycle of killing? Even if all the Orerines were gone, nothing would really change. Thousands of years from now, even the Ferines would turn against one another."

There was silence for a time, during which Shirley was most certainly speaking with Nerifes to receive its answer. A few moments later she gave a shrill gasp, eyes wide, and tears forming.

"Nerifes ... agrees with you. It doesn't want this murdering to continue ..."

"Then why is it that Nerifes had the Merines carry out the Catacylsm?" Jay snapped, feeling annoyed. Nerifes seemed like a woman having very severe mood swings. An insanely powerful woman ...

Here Hoseia spoke up. "You know the Accession is when the Merines hears the voice of Nerifes, and their consciousness become one. In other words, the Merines's body houses a second soul, the power of Nerifes."

Shirley shone again, and she spoke. "Nerifes ... says that it originally never wanted to kill. The anger and anguish of the previous two Merines drove Nerifes to this ..."

Will's jaw dropped, unhinged. "I see. The Accession is a double-edged sword."

There was a crash, and the erens looked above. Walter had twisted one of his arms out of the branches that bound him, and the free hand glowed darkly with the power of eres.

"Lies ..." he said lowly, menacing. "All lies! Merines, kill that bastard on your throne!"

"Uh-oh ..." Norma said, clutching her straw. Csaba nocked an arrow his bow, standing to shield Ven. Although the beast was healed, its tamer didn't want it injured any more. The other erens geared up, battle-ready. Walter cast very powerful eres, and moreover, he could cast them with just one arm free.

Walter, with a throwing gesture of his hand, released the energy he'd built up, which formed into the ultimate horror--Extension.

Forming in a way similar to the birth of a star, the spell expanded to encompass and disintegrate all--

Stella acted quickly; she and Shirley held out their arms, and blue and gold teriques together defended against the spell. Walter's eyes were wide, his jaw hanging open. He was frozen with shock.

"M-Merines ... why?"

Hoseia struggled, but he stood. Staggering over to the huge tree Walter was trapped in, he crackled with electricity. Glaring at Walter, he threw lightning bolts at the tree, purposely missing him each time.

"Never ... call ... me ... a bastard ... again!" Hoseia roared in between lightning bolts. The room was filled with the acrid smell of burned living wood. Finally, his body unable to withstand the exhaustion of power, Hoseia fell to his knees. Norma and Will automatically rushed to his aid.

Chloe sheathed her sword and dashed to the balcony outside. When she returned, she was delighted, announcing shrilly, "The sea is calm! The sea is calm, almost just like the Quiet Nerifes!"

From his position kneeling before the giant tree, Hoseia still smirked up at Walter, who was still too shocked to attempt another eres at the Orerines, or even move.

"What're we gonna do now?" Moses asked, Giet mirroring his confusion.

Shirley stared at Walter. "Is Senel in danger?" she asked.

"He shouldn't be as long as Kratos is with him. I'll make sure he gets back safely." Hoseia answered amidst the green glow of healing crystal eres.

Shirley nodded, face set in grim determination. Stella, who seemed to read Shirley's thoughts, donned her teriques, floating in the air. She flew up to Walter, still trapped in the tree's grasp.

"Nerifes and the Merines wishes for Oreines and Ferines to live peacefully. Delques, will you help them?"

Walter was silent for a time, contemplating this. Finally, giving a resigned sigh, he said, "As long as those Orerines bastards leave us alone, then I am content ... Telmes."

--

Hikaru: Sorry it's so late! But here it is. We'll tune in to Senel, Kratos, and Tear next chapter. Also, Maurits will come back sometime. Haha. Anyway, I was always wondering why Nerifes was so quick to change its mind about killing off the Orerines after four thousand years of burning hatred. Well, I think that it wasn't so much Nerifes's will to kill them, but that of the Merines who caused the Cataclysm and such.

Also, if Nerifes were "infected" with the burning hatred, then it would explain (at least to me) why Nerifes wouldn't let Shirley use her insane Merines power.


	22. Sea of Stars

Hikaru: Ah, it's a week late! I'm sorry! Grrrr ... my English and History teachers are making our classes interview people ... I suck at interviewing ...

--

Images blurred in his mind. People, people ... dressed in white, silver crystals, the great moon, an entire planet underneath a shrine ... Talk, talk of watchers and purifying the world ... and he would ...

_Stella ... Shirley ... No!_

Blinding white flashes, and Senel's whole body racked with pain and the sudden shock of losing the two people he held dearest ... he couldn't feel anything besides this pain and emotional strain ...

"Calm down, Senel! Your crystal is unstable! Hold still!"

Senel couldn't tell who it was that was speaking--only that it was a male's voice.

"Senel! Your power is going out of control! You're going to end up killing us!"

A woman's voice. Senel grew angry. It was not Stella or Shirley's voice. No, he would never see them or any of his friends again, all because he had been too naive, he let that bastard take him away ... !

Something grabbed Senel's wrist, but he wrenched it free, screaming as his body burst aflame, inside and out.

--

Kratos had not seen this coming. Apparently neither had Hoseia, and he, a researcher from Old World Arcadia! But then again, the Silvites were the only ancient Arcadians who put the formation and power of their Silver Moon Crystal into their very own people via genetic engineering. What need would the Silvites have had to use something like an Exsphere? Hoseia must not have known or predicted what could happen if a Silvite used an Exsphere ... and a primitive one, at that.

As Senel's body glowed obscenely silvery white, his power nigh uncontrollable, Kratos could not suppress a smile.

Hoseia was an Arcadian, one of three, possibly more, that were used in an attempt to mimic the Silvites in becoming the elements and Lunar powers they worshipped. Hoseia was also the best reseacher and one of the most brilliant minds of the Old World.

As Tear called out to Senel in an effort to calm him, Kratos supposed this was his punishment for using such an unconventional method of drawing out Senel's inherent power. Tear grabbed Senel's wrist, probably thinking to use a hymn, any hymn, to contain Senel's lashing power--but Kratos realized this was a very bad idea.

None too soon, Kratos lunged for Tear, knocking her to the smooth, cool metal floor of the starship observation deck--

Senel let out an earsplitting, blood-curdling scream, and there were great shattering and cracking noises--Kratos glanced up. They were small, but there they were ... light bending off them so they shone silvery blue, countles, millions upon millions of needles so sharp they could have severed you in half--and you wouldn't have known it.

Kratos slowly stood, Tear mirroring his caution. Senel lay unconscious on the floor, only his silver crystal still shining.

"Oh, my Score ... " Tear breathed, eyes fixed on the needles stuck in the walls and huge, triply reinforced window that showed the space outside the starship. There were needles enough to pierce every single cell in an organism's body.

Kratos stared at the unconscious Senel, exhausted from the sudden burst and overuse of his newly reawakened power.

"So ... that is Eterni, the most devastating Silver spell."

"Even hyperresonance can't compare to this ... "

Tear was right. Hyperresonance was the instantaneous deletion of the fonic particles that bound an organism's atomic structure together--painless. But Eterni ... impossibly sharp needles stabbing every cell in the body ...

"Yuan won't be happy." Kratos stated in a as-a-matter-of-factly manner. Yuan--piloting the starship Devlin as they spoke--owned this ship. And he really wouldn't be happy with all those needles stuck in the walls and the observation window.

"But Kratos, if Senel's power is this unstable, we may really end up dead before we even reach the Great Silver Shrine."

Kratos mentally cursed. That was right. Nobody now knew how to deal with Senel's out-of-control, unchecked power. Primitive Exspheres, it seemed, caused the body's inherent life energy, mana, to go surging uncontrollably without restraint. And when the dormant power in question happened to be that of a Silver Moon Crystal ... it was comparable to the power of the Merines.

Kratos, still staring at Senel, grimaced.

"There's no choice. We must ... restrain him until we can solve this ... hindrance."

While the angel and hymnist lifted Senel, Tear said softly, "They're alike in many ways."

Kratos said nothing.

--

Senel awoke in a cell. It wasn't a primitive dungeon cell, closed, cramped, dirty, the iron barred doors rattling ... this cell was quite comfortable. Senel lay on a fluffy bed. The cell was clean, warm. He even had his own bathroom. But the door, round and arched in an egg shape, was open.

"Where ... ?" Senel asked groggily, blinking until his hazy vision focused.

The open door looked inviting and yet foreboding. As if someone were baiting him, daring him to try exiting. The halls beyond were like the Ruins of Frozen Light, smooth, white metal.

Ah, hell, he thought. Why not? If he had any chance of escaping, he'd better damn well take it. It was the only hope he could have of getting away from that traitor Kratos ... why had Senel trusted him?

Jay was right, as usual.

So it was with a keen defiance that Senel stood, casually walking toward the egg-shaped arch. However, upon trying to walk through, a green light flashed, and he was thrown back, his fingertips tingling.

"Ow ... " he groaned, rubbing his hands until the tingling sensation was gone.

When he approached it this time, he cautiously reached out with his palms flat. They met the green light, solid as a wall, that tingling jolting through his hands again.

"Damn," he whispered. A force field.

For a split second he considered using his eres, but when he tried to call it, the power wouldn't come. Even with that strange jewel Kratos had given him ... nothing.

"Dammit!" Senel kicked the force field, frustrated, sending green sparks flying.

--

Yuan was livid.

"Wonderful," he hissed from the pilot's chair. "The guy you bring aboard has power so unstable it could kill anyone who goes near him."

Kratos sank into one of the co-pilot's chairs, Tear following suit. "Yes, but it's not his fault. It's mine; I was the one who put that Exsphere on him."

Yuan groaned, putting a hand to his temple. "And how long do you think that cell can hold him?"

Tear answered. "His eres are sealed, and as long as his emotions don't overflow, neither will his Lunar power."

In silence they piloted the starship Devlin throughout outer space. They had left Melfes quite a while ago, the planet itself long behind their road. Distantly the planet Arcadia and its moons were barely visible so far ahead.

"Kratos." Yuan said, for once his tone not one of anger.

"I take no pleasure in uprooting Senel from his home, you know that."

Yuan's reply was cold, edged with frost, much like Kratos's own had been.

"I was talking about him."

Kratos never answered.

--

Hoseia was still a little shaky, but he was back on his feet. He returned to the Quiet Lands to fetch a very confused pair of Reno and Nievia, then high-tailed it to the Bridge of the Legacy. He purposely left the Merines and her friends to their own devices and trusted them to make an effort to coexist--because the true will of Nerifes wished it.

Also, Hoseia had made sure he had a little insurance on the Merines. As long as she led the Ferines to coexist with the Orerines, Hoseia would do everything in his power to ensure Senel's safe return to Melfes. And that meant finding a way back to Arcadia.

The Merines had gathered up all the Ferines inside the Mirage Palace (including a very confused Maurits), and with the Orerines erens marched back to the surface of the Legacy.

Peace would not come easily. The other leaders of the countries on the mainland would have to come to the Legacy peacefully, and meet diplomatically with the Ferines leaders, Shirley and Maurits.

"Hoseia ... are we really going home?" Reno asked, staring out the Bridge window. Nievia stood near Hoseia, where set up his computer lab in the middle of the Bridge. Hoseia's hands were trembling.

"Reno, surely you understand how utterly different Arcadia is now--"

Reno's hands clenched tightly into fists at his sides.

"I ... know that!"

Hoseia began rapidly typing on his holographic LCD keyboards, the glare of light on his glasses hiding his eyes. Nievia said nothing, only listening as Hoseia spoke.

"If you truly wish to return to Arcadia ... we can hail the Devlin via gravitic communication. It'll register as a distress signal. They might take you back home."

Not that Arcadia could truly be called their home anymore. No longer would Reno be respected as the one who bore the Lunar powers of the Red Moon ... but something as a monster. Something to be hunted down, destroyed. The kingdom of Nasr under the Red Moon was led by its king, the Nasaltun. As of now they were enjoying an era of peace, prospserous in trade.

Hoseia's homeland, however ... at least if Reno stayed in Nasr, keeping quiet about the prototype Red Moon Crystal within him, he would have some shred of hope to be accepted ... No, if Hoseia returned to the lands beneath the Yellow Moon ...

Valua, the Empire under the Yellow Moon, was led by a bloodthirsty Empress named Teodora. Somehow she found out about the existence of the Moon Crystals and her entire navy was out searching for them.

If Hoseia went to Valua, then the Mages would know he bore so much Lunar power. Undoubtedly Teodora would seize him to be used as a weapon in their conquest of New World Arcadia. But more importantly, if the Silvites knew of Valua's doing (which they most certainly did), there was no doubt that they'd send down one of their kind to gather the Moon Crystals and revive the Gigas and thusly the Rains.

It had occurred to Hoseia that the Elders of the Silvite tribe would use Senel to bring about the Rains. But Hoseia smiled. Kratos was the one "bringing" Senel to the Silvites. There was no way that Kratos would let another world perish as long as he saved one or two others.

No. Hoseia trusted Kratos.

--

Hikaru: Phew. Time for lunch.


	23. The Great Silver Shrine

Hikaru: Sorry for such a late update. My family kept dragging me up and down the state for the last two days.

--

They stood on the Great Silver Shrine, as Kratos had named it. From afar it was a huge building, suspended in space between the great Silver Moon and the planet Arcadia. Silver, and a third-dimensional hexagonal shape, it certainly looked the place of a remnant of an ancient civilization.

No, Senel had no problem actually standing on the place that Kratos had claimed from which he hailed. The only thing was ... they were standing on the Shrine _upside down._

Senel knew it was the artificial gravity of the building, nonetheless it was quite unnerving. On the bottom of the Shrine there were multiple paths branching off the main one they stood on, leading to other rooms of the building. Kratos said their destination was to be reached by the warp pad in the center of the bottom of the Shrine.

As they walked, Senel lingering behind Tear and Kratos, Senel could not tear his eyes from the planet below them--the mass of swirling clouds and floating continents contained in an atmosphere that still managed to shine blue.

Upon reaching the warp pad, it activated. Senel had feared how it would feel like, but he quickly realized those fears were groundless. It was much like using a duct on his own ... home? planet.

They came to the inside of the huge shrine. A room floated in the middle of it, the room which Senel had supposed was the Chamber of the Elders Kratos had told him about. The path leading to it would be the problem. It twisted in all directions, upside down and upright, covered in strange markings.

"That is the Path of Emptiness." Kratos explained, stepping off the platform. His steps echoed off the path like a strange crystal-glass noise. "You must stay close to us, Senel. We may lose all sense of direction in this place."

And Kratos was never one to joke, so Senel followed in his instruction. Indeed Senel quickly lost his sense of direction, forgetting from whence they walked, not knowing where to go next. Kratos seemed to, though, so Senel drove forward, following him. Tear apparently had never been to this place either, and she followed Kratos. The two of them followed Kratos like lost ducklings or stray puppies, keeping very close, making sure Kratos didn't escape them.

Finally they came to a door inscribed with a silvery blue six-pointed crest. Senel at once recognized this as the Silver spell crest, even though he had no memory of seeing it.

Kratos noticed him staring at it.

"Only a Silvite can open the way to the Elders. Open it."

Senel reached forward, placing his palm flat against the crest. It glowed, and the door disappeared. Darkness lay beyond.

Senel did not need Kratos's words to tell him to move forward.

--

"The other leaders of the mainland are almost here, Your Highness."

Will saluted the Queen of Rexalia, Musette, as she stood outside his own home. The appointed Day of Diplomacy was near. Werites Beacon was bristling with activity, the Gadorians mingling among the Rexalians, the Ivalicians and the Crusandians, although the former wasn't very welcome.

Musette nodded, her shawl tightly wrapped around her as always. "I do hope they'll all agree to peace. Crusand and Gadoria's war was put on hold for this, a greater matter of diplomacy."

Will nodded in agreement. Will himself had gone to meet the leaders of Crusand and Gadoria. Chloe had accompanied him to meet the Gadorian King, but the Emperor of Crusand Will had met alone. Despite the commander of the army of Gadorian Knights' words, the king was much more inclined toward peace than war. This convinced Chloe and Will that the commander of the Gadorian Knights was nothing more than a selfish scumbag.

The Crusand Emperor ... Will had mixed feelings about him. The oldest brother of Vaclav Bolud, Orion Agustus Bolud. He certainly resembled his younger brother, if only by way of looks. Like the Gadorian King Kestrel Kraig, Emperor Orion was more inclined toward peace, if not in the past, now more than ever.

Orion had also said in the face of his younger brother's death: "That was no one's fault but his own. Vaclav and his men had strayed from Crusand, from my order, to follow his own ambitions in hopes of claiming dominion."

Will sincerely hoped that Orion Augustus Bolud was telling the truth.

The Queendom of Ivalice had accepted the prospect of peace with the Ferines much more readily than the others, being a small united nation compared to Rexalia, Gadoria, and Crusand. Not many Ivalicians have even been on the Legacy. The reigning Queen of Ivalice, Queen Ovelia Atkascha, was on her way to the Legacy with her personal guard and diplomats, as were the other leaders.

And so Will stood on his lawn with his queen, worrying and stressing about the outcome.

"I understand your friends are settling matters with their leaders?" Musette asked, that sweet smile ever present on her face.

Will nodded, yes. "Chloe has gone to the port on Raging Bay to await her king. Jay's gone to the Oresoren; he's planning to represent them in this diplomacy. After all, the Oresoren can't be ignored. Norma's Rexalian, so she's taking a break at her inn room ... We don't know where Grune is from, so she's staying put in Werites, and Shirley's gone to rally the Ferines on the mainland."

Stella was Shirley's representative on the Legacy. While Shirley, Maurits, and Walter and his guard force went to mainland to pick up the other Ferines and bring them here on the Legacy, Stella stood in Shirley's place at the current Village of the Ferines. Being the sister of the Merines, Will imagined she was accepted readily, especially since it appeared she came back from the dead.

"And there's also Csaba and Moses. Their tribe lives within no formal country, and even then Moses tells me he was disowned from the original tribe, so Moses and his men are an entirely new clan. It is undecided whether or not they will take formal part in the Day of Diplomacy."

But of course Moses would take part, Will was certain in his gut that he would. After all Moses had done so far in helping prevent the Cataclysm, for him to stay put now made no sense.

"And your friend Senel?" Musette said casually.

Will's throat tightened. He and the others invovled told none what had befallen the young Alliance Marine. It was ludicrous, to be sure; who would believe that Senel had been kidnapped into outer space by a man that was certainly not a Ferines and yet possesed Ferines-like powers?

And, of course, Hoseia, Reno, and Nievia. Those three were from an entirely different planet, uprooted against their wills. As of now they were holed up in the Bridge of the Legacy, trying to find a way to get back to Arcadia, if not for themselves, but also to ensure Senel's safe return to Melfes.

Senel ... was also Arcadian, not of this planet. A Silvite, Hoseia had said. While this new discovery made Will's scholarly blood pump, it also made him ... sullen. While it was fascinating that the Ferines and Orerines were descended from Silvite and Azurite of Old World Arcadia, it also made Will worry.

What was happening on that planet so important that Senel had been kidnapped?

--

"Welcome home, Senel."

Those words touched Senel to the heart. Home ... Senel had always longed for a permanent home to return to. In Crusand's military he had no home. When Senel had been taken under the wing of the Ferines, he enjoyed their hospitality for two years. Then Vaclav attacked, and Senel was forced to flee with Shirley. For three years they migrated as Senel joined the Alliance Marines, but Vaclav's bloodhounds eventually tracked them to the Legacy.

That was Senel's life. Uproot after uproot, rejection after rejection. Had he finally come home?

The Chamber of the Elders was dark, lit by a silvery blue spell crest beneath their feet, and silver torches of light. Six windows of glass like hexagonal panes hung on the walls, and in those panes were images of elderly Silvite men, robed in white, silver, and gold.

"Elder Prime," Kratos said, stepping forward, a hand on Senel's shoulder. "We have done as you bade. Although scattered, divided, leaderless, the Cruxis have not forgotten their promise to the Silvites."

The one right before them, designated Elder Prime, nodded. "Indeed you have not. We have not forgotten our promise to you, either, Kratos, last of Cruxis, last of the angels."

At those words the other Elders along with Prime began to glow a silvery white light. When the intense light subsided, a young man had appeared in the room, dressed in a jacket of red with black pants to match.

Kratos's jaw unhinged.

The teenager rushed toward Kratos, shouting a word that shocked Senel to the core: "Dad!"

No way. All this time the Silvite Elders had been keeping Kratos's son hostage! Although it made sense ... Kratos did say that the Silvites were thinning tribe. It would make sense if the Elders had insurance that Kratos definitely would bring back Senel.

Elder Prime spoke. "We have returned your son, Kratos. It will take time to regain the means of saving Auldrant by eliminating the obscruction of the fon belt. Please wait here in the Shrine for a while. You all are welcome to stay; there's plenty of room, your pilot included as well. Please go, and rest."

While Kratos, his son, and Tear vacated the Chamber of the Elders, Senel noticed that he was left alone. His son regained, Kratos didn't even bother to glance at him. Cautiously Senel looked to the Elders. What was going to happen now?

Elder Prime seemed to read his thoughts. "Young Senel. You, too, may go to a room of your choosing. Abandon your current clothing for the garb of the Silvites, your rightful people. Rest, and you will learn in due time."

The Elders, one by one, disappeared in their panes of crystal-glass. Senel hung his head, staring at his feet. The bright silvery blue glow of the spell crest underfoot caught his attention. What was there to do but obey? Senel turned, exiting the Chamber of the Elders.

-

The room Senel chose was empty, as the Elders had said. Vaguely he wondered if all the rooms of the Silvites were empty now. Were the Silvites so scarce that only the Elders--and Senel--remained? Senel shook his head. This was no time to be brooding. As he touched on the silvery white walls of his room (the Elders had instructed him on the Shrine's workings) to find his wardrobe, he remembered Kratos's words before they set foot on the Shrine.

_The Silvite Elders will try to sway you with flowery speeches and false proofs of the Old World. If you truly wish to return to Melfes, follow the Elders' orders until we've saved Auldrant. After that, remain where you are at the time, and we will come get you._

Return to Melfes ... to Stella, Shirley, and everyone else he held dear. Was it possible? Kratos had been planets away from his own son until he fulfilled the mission given him by the Elders ... there was a glimmer of hope yet.

Senel found the wardrobe, and the garb of young male Silvites. Each one was different in fashion, yet fundamentally the same. Senel changed clothes. Unlike his Alliance Marine uniform, this Silvite garb was much softer and smoother to the touch. It barely felt as if he wore anything--it took him a while to get used to wearing them.

As Senel put on the final touches of his Silvite garb (a golden circlet engraved with strange runes), looking himself over in a full-length mirror, he thought. This felt strange enough, living believing that he was an Orerines, and then discovering later he was in fact an Old Arcadian Silvite. And now he cast aside the garb he wore before, dressing now as a Silvite, as he ought.

Was this how Shirley felt when she put on the clothing of a Ferines for the first time in three years? Those three years she spent fleeing from Vaclav's paws, feigning to be Senel's sister, feigning being an Orerines. When the Ferines found her again, had her dress not as an Orerines, but a Ferines and the Merines at that, how did Shirley feel?

_She felt like I do now. _Senel touched the mirror, pressing his palm flat against the crystal-glass like surface. It did not cloud. _She felt her calling. That this is what she was supposed to be doing the entire time. Not running around, faking to be someone she's not._

Faking to be someone she wasn't. Like Senel had so often masqueraded. First as a Crusandian, then as a member of the Ferines, and then finally an Orerines. Senel looked away from the mirror, pressing it in a place so that it faded into the wall. If Shirley saw him now, he knew what she would say.

_Those clothes become you, Senel. It looks great on you._

Senel touched the gold circlet resting on his forehead.

"Yes." He said, sitting at his table. "Yes, they do suit me."

--

Hikaru: Hip-hip hooray! By the way, Final Fantasy Tactics does not belong to me, etc, etc. Moreover it's an "unofficial" part of this crossover; to give the Mainland more spice.


	24. Following Orders

Hikaru: I couldn't find my mini digital camera to take a cruddy screenshot, so I made a rough sketch of the Legendian mainland, with estimates as to where Gadoria and Rexalia were. Crusand is the only "real" location ... and I stuck Ivalice there for fun. Shall post it on Deviantart later.

--

The Oresoren were a peaceful species all around, but Jay remembered the kind of threats they'd faced before when Solon had crept his way briefly into Jay's life. In such an important act of diplomacy, the Oresoren, an individual species with a culture and civilization all their own, had to be part of the treaty so they were protected from then on.

The Oresoren long looked up to Jay anyway, so it was proceeding smoothly with the rest of the Oresoren. However, Jay insisted to be an advisor only for the chosen leader of the Oresoren; Jay would merely be his or her advisor and representative.

After a long public Oresoren discussion in their common square, it was decided there would be a male and female joint leadership, with Jay as the advisor and representative.

The two new leaders of the Oresoren were none other than Pippo and his wife, Mippo. Well, not wife yet, but they held a set of Gemini Shells, so they were at least engaged. They planned to officially be married after the wars between the Orerines and Ferines had ceased completely.

Now, the formalities done with, Jay sat brooding in his room, alone. He kept thinking about planet Arcadia, and what it meant to him as a so-called Derines, and Walter, too. There was also a possibility that Kratos would know of Jay's true origin. Not that it particularly mattered now, he had a home with the Oresoren ... but it still nagged at him. The realization that Solon had something to do with the demise of his parents wouldn't let Jay be at peace without it.

At times like these, Jay noticed, his shadow galf (or fox, it was hard to tell which one) would manifest beside him, wearing that bell that Solon had threatened to crush if Jay disappointed him. The shadow guardian gave him ... comfort, and would manifest whenever Jay wished.

Could it ... speak? If so, then Jay might very well find all the answers he wanted.

"Hello." Jay said conversationally, feeling half-foolish. The shadow galf lay at his feet, looking at him questionably. "I was wondering ... do you speak?"

And, to Jay's immense surprise, the shadow galf replied.

"Yes, I do speak. How do you do, Jay the Unseen?"

_Sweet merciful crap ... _Jay stared at the shadow galf, jaw unhinged, eyes wide. _The shadows can speak._

The shadow galf seemed to smile, and it stood, facing Jay. "You seem ... shocked. I've known you all your life, although I am quite new to you."

"Indeed ... " Jay replied, mind racing with questions, all of which he wanted to blurt out simultaneously, most of which were about his true origins. He decided with the thing closest to home.

"Shadow ... ?" Jay offered, hoping for a name.

The galf nodded, crossing its front paws politely. "Atrunae."

Jay nodded, taking in the name's meaning--from the old Orerines root words _atrum _and _luna, _meaning "dark moon." That somewhat reassured Jay's suspicions on his bloodline's origins.

"All right, Atrunae. Will you tell me something?"

Atrunae's eyes became distant with thought, as if remembering a painful past. "Yes, I believe you have a right to that. Ask."

Jay breathed in deeply, soothing his nerves. "What happened to ... my mother and father?"

Atrunae sighed, the bell at his neck ringing softly.

"Your parents are not from this planet, and nor am I, I suppose. You were born and intended to be raised on planet Aselia, which is not far from this planet. It is the ... host planet, I could say, of the comet-planet Derris-Kharlan."

Jay's amythest eyes went wide. Derris-Kharlan ... was the planet Kratos came from, as a member of Cruxis.

Atrunae continued. "But, when people realized what your parents were--Derines, as you named yourself--they tried to kill them. They had to flee separately. Your mother with you, and your father with your older sister, who would have been two years old."

Jay fell silent. He ... had an older sister? He actually had family related to him by blood?

"What befell your father, I don't know. Your mother, however, got help from a kindred spirit and sent Melfes in a life-support sphere with you. When the sphere was opened, your mother was found out by Solon's ninjas. She defended herself with her own power ... and I tried to help her when she was near death. But new to the planet, I was weak ..."

Jay didn't need to hear anything else to guess what happened. The bell, the thing Atrunae used to manifest itself, had been passed on to Jay from his mother, who once had the protection of the shadow guardian. Jay nodded to show Atrunae he understood, and the wolf fell silent.

"All right ... who helped us escape?"

Atrunae's eyes once more became distant.

"Kratos."

--

The royal processions of the Gadorian King, the Crusand Emperor, and the Queen of Ivalice were underway. Chloe hung by the Gadorian coaches that carried her king and his elected diplomats and all their retinues. She was dressed not in her usual jacket and body suit, but full functional and oriental armor sans the helmet. Her cape matched her silvery gold colored armor, but still bore the Valens crest on it. The hilt of her sword carried the Gadorian royal crest.

Chloe never thought the day would come that she would wear this armor, the official garb of a fully-fledged Valens knight, a royal guard. The commander of the Royal Knights, after all ... said that Chloe only had potential of restoring the Valens name to its former status.

But His Royal Highness Kestrel Kraig had allowed her to don this garb ...

As the royal coaches that would carry the royalty were being prepared, Chloe had the unique opportunity to see the other leaders of the mainland in the flesh.

Emperor Orion Augustus Bolud was a very handsome man who looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. He had a wife of his own. The Empress wasn't stunningly beautiful, but nor was she even remotely ugly. Crowned with long wavy black hair and bearing sea-green eyes, she looked fit to be on the arm of Crusand's Emperor.

Chloe's eyes wandered to the Queen of Ivalice, Ovelia Atkascha. Her wheat-gold hair was long, sweeping down her back, with two braids framing the cascade. Her amber eyes radiated a firm, strong, will, the eyes of a true leader. She wore a white dress with red designs embroidered on the hem, and a red cloak and the gold royal crest of Ivalice on her back belted about her shoulders.

Around Ovelia were her guards. Agrias Oaks was one of four lead guards. Her hair was a golden blonde, and she wore it in a braid. She had sandy colored eyes, and wore blue armor. The other guards were male, a young man crowned with short black hair, and two older ones that were blond. They wore their own variations of armor, but had one thing in common--on their white cloaks was the royal crest of Ivalice: two intertwined stylized lions, one white, one black, on a field of purple, the horoscope symbols embroidered in silver, circling the lions.

Chloe felt a pang of jealousy. They were officially knights, while Chloe felt as if she were only masquerading ... She looked to her own king. Chloe wondered how His Majesty felt about the Valens name now. With luck, perhaps she could be granted her status and titles back ...

King Kestrel Kraig was a handsome man, aged in his late thirties. He'd been on the battleground often, and it kept him in shape. He wore no armor, for this was a diplomatic mission, and his richly embroidered tunic and decorative rings and boots made sure nobody mistook him for anyone but the King of Gadoria. His wife was with him, Queen Niniane. Unlike most Gadorians, she had flaming red hair coupled with hazel eyes.

Looking at all the leaders of the mainland, Chloe felt hope surging in her heart. The leaders right now were at peace with one another, greeting one another peacefully, amiably. Even though Gadoria and Crusand were technically still at war, their battles had ceased, and the king, emperor, and their wives seemed to be getting along quite nicely.

Queen Ovelia was shy, but not so shy she couldn't carry out her royal duties.

Chloe stayed by the Gadorian carriage, which was almost ready to go. Soon they would head to the Altar of the Sea, where the Orerines leaders would meet the Ferines, as well as Nerifes.

"You! Gadorian Knight!"

Chloe glanced up, startled. The Ivalician knight with short, curly black hair came to her, leading a horse by its reins. The horse was big, as Ivalician draft horses were, with big hooves and feathered ankles. The mare he led was black as night, with a sweeping curly mane and tail. It wore Gadorian dressings.

"Your horse wandered." He handed Chloe the reins. Blushing mildly, she took the leather reins. The knight tilted his head to one side.

"Thank you. Wh-what's your name?" Chloe stammered, unable to help herself.

The young male knight shrugged. "I'm Larsa Solidor of Ivalice. And you ... ?"

Chloe took a few moments to compose herself. House Solidor was quite famous on the mainland, just as much as the Valens name was. Larsa was the youngest of House Solidor. His older brother Vayne was an emissary living in Gadoria; surely he was here, too. House Solidor had a very strong claim to the Ivalician throne, yet Queen Ovelia had risen to it.

Vaguely Chloe wondered; was House Solidor bitter over it? Somehow, looking at Larsa, she doubted it.

"Chloe of House Valens. I'm very pleased to meet you, Larsa."

She held out her hand to shake, and Larsa took it, smiling.

It seemed peace between Orerines would come more easily than she initially thought.

--

Two more Silvites, around Senel's own age, had gone down to Arcadia and never returned. With the Silvite race thinning, the Elders wished for Senel to go down to Arcadia and guide them back to the Shrine.

"Fina," Senel murmured, "and Ramirez." He vaguely recalled names like those in his early childhood. The Elders also told Senel of Fina and Ramirez's missions--to gather the seven Moon Crystals of Arcadia and bring them to the Shrine so no one would be able to abuse their powers again. Senel had gotten a brief history lesson of Old World Arcadia.

The Gigas ... were powerful like the Nerifes Cannon, even more so. Some Gigas, such as the Silver one, Zelos, were even more powerful, surpassing even the Wings of Light. The Elders couldn't predict what would happen if the Gigas were revived, but they knew it would cost millions of innocent lives.

Senel had agreed to go down to Arcadia. Now that he was here, he would help save multiple worlds--Melfes, Auldrant, and now Arcadia and even the fading Silvite race. If not for himself, then for those involved--and Stella and Shirley, who had sacrificed so much for their beliefs. It was time for Senel to reciprocate that.

_Stella, Shirley ... watch me._

Kratos and the others were aware of the situation, and they waited in their respective rooms. Senel had talked with them all via the communication device in his room. Kratos's son was named Lloyd, and he was literally abducted off his home planet, called Aselia. Who had done it was a mystery, though ... the Elders were far too fragile to be moving from the Shrine.

Senel was leaving today. He left his room, hardly making a sound in his otherworldly Silvite clothing. He walked on the Shrine's bottom, toward one of the edges that held a ship that would enable him to reach the blue planet below him.

The ship was beautiful. Shining pure silver, it also bore white and gold edges. It was shaped like ... Senel didn't know how to properly describe it. A many-edged curved blade would serve as a crude description.

Senel climbed into the ship. The cockpit had a windshield, but no cover. A force field powered by Silver moonstones would serve as a shield from the vaccuum of space. He put his palms on the controls, and felt Silver energy flow into him, resonating with his crystal.

With mental power alone, Senel piloted the ship. He descended to planet Arcadia, immersed in the clouds within minutes.

-

It was nighttime. Senel's ship zipped through the Arcadian skies, the great Silver Moon above him, and certain the Shrine, too, although it was nigh invisible. Senel recalled his instructions from the Elders.

"Deep beneath the clouds ... there is an island close to the Vortex under the Silver Moon, named Dangral Island. They have a means to go into Deep Sky ... and I should use that means to enter the Lost Continent and retrieve the Crystals ..."

It sounded easy enough, but actually being on the endless open skies, in only a tiny ship ... it really was unnerving. Senel wished sorely that Kratos had been able to accompany him; he at least could fly.

Nevertheless ... Senel would do all he could to help his people, even though he'd been taken from them for such a long time. He decreased his altitude when he sighted the vortex the Elders spoke of. Deep under the clouds, it was dark, and even in the ship and its force field, Senel felt the atmospheric pressure.

"Look for Dangral ..."

Soon enough he spotted it; it was virtually on top of the Vortex. Senel circled it, descending all the while.

-

Senel felt strangely as he wandered through the Dangral building, a military base of operations of the Valuans who lived in the lands beneath the Yellow Moon. The Elders had told him of Ramirez's defecting to the side of the Valuans, to one of their Admirals named Galcian. Galcian knew of Ramirez's being a Silvite, and of the Crystals, Gigas, and all other things pertaining to the lost civilizations.

As for Fina ... she had not yet returned to the Shrine, and the Elders were beginning to worry that something had happened to her. They did know that Ramirez had gotten the Moon Crystals, so thusly was Senel's mission: retrieve the crystals, beat some sense into Ramirez, preferably by taking out or disabling the one called Galcian, and locate Fina while he was at it.

Dangral Island had an elevator leading into Soltis, deep beneath the central sea of clouds. All Senel had to do at the moment was locate the elevator, then the real work would begin.

Senel stopped as he heard the sound of metal clanging against metal; the sound of many footsteps. He mentally cursed. Surely enough, red alarms sounded, and voices echoed down the hall:

"Intruder! Intruder!"

Senel stood where he was in the metal hallway, prepared to fight back. The Elders revived the knowledge of his Moon Crystal so he could call down the most devastating of Silver spells at will. The Valuan guards, clad in yellow armor, charged from the corner of the hall, bayonets in hand, the blades crackling with yellow electricity.

Senel spread his legs, raised his fists into his signature fighting stance. His Moon Crystal glowed on his left hand, strengthening him.

The Valuan guards all knelt down, aiming their bayonets at Senel, guns that undoubtedly fired Yellow magic. Suddenly Senel recalled the time Hoseia had struck him with the Electrum spell. A smirk tugged on Senel's lips. If they charged for magic, he should do so as well.

The silvery blue Silver crest formed underfoot, and Senel surged with power. The Valuans took no heed, still charging their guns.

"Electrulen!" The captain of the troop shouted, and the guards fired their guns.

Senel put his hand forward, and a barrier formed before him, and the electric magic was deflected back at their casters.

A small explosion occurred, and the guards screamed, their voices ringing down the hallways. Senel leapt over their paralyzed bodies, running forward, exhilarated, horrified at what he had done.

--

Hikaru: I feel awfully silly writing Silvite!Senel in Arcadian combat ...


	25. The Descent

Hikaru: I bought Wild ARMs V. Whoot. And I got an art book! ( 3's Avril)

--

Senel hated waiting. He sat on the edge of the shelf of Dangral Island onto which the base flatbed for the elevator leading into Deep Sky had been built by Valuans. He dangled his legs, watching the railing that led into the sea of dark clouds, hoping every second for the flatbed elevator to appear ...

Senel remembered how Shirley would play with her teriques when she was bored, back in the village where she'd been born and raised. The little blue butterfly-shaped teriques would flutter around the flowers among the real butterflies, and the insects were none the wiser, accepting it among their flowers as they gathered nectar. To Senel, teriques in general meant peace and tranquility.

He frowned. He'd seen teriques a lot lately ... and when they were used, none of them meant what he supposed they were. First Walter used his teriques to attack Senel aboard his ship before he washed up on the Legacy. Then Stella had to use her teriques to save the Gadorian capital from the Nerifes Cannon, and then Shirley ...

Senel closed his eyes, shaking his head vehemently. No, there was no use dwelling on the past. If Shirley and Stella still had their wits about them (which Senel never doubted), then everything was all well and good on Melfes. Everything would be fine. Senel had to concentrate on his current mission. He'd only worry about Melfes when he returned.

Just as Senel finished that thought, the floor gave a great shudder, and he leapt to his feet in anticipation. Surely enough, riding up the red and silver railing out of the clouds was the flatbed elevator. A smile tugged at Senel's lips. Finally, he'd be on the move.

But as the elevator got close, Senel saw something else on it: a man of tall stature, built and bulky, clad in some armor and shouldering a big gun-like weapon. Senel backed from the edge, fists clenched as his eres and Silver powers formed within him.

When the elevator came to a halt at the Dangral shelf, Senel grew uneasy. This man was a landmass in his own right. He was at least between six and seven feet tall, and powerfully built with huge, muscled arms and legs. The man blinked upon seeing Senel, and then he laughed with gusto, a deep rumbling noise audible from miles away.

"Bwa ha ha ha! How very amusing! So little Rami wasn't the last young Silvite man!"

Senel arched an eyebrow, confused. He'd identified this man's body type with Vaclav, and assumed he'd be the same ... but this man sounded ... like an easygoing fellow. Like one who was the happy drunk at the local bar.

Cautiously Senel stepped forward, never lowering his fists.

"Who ... are you?" He asked tentatively.

The man burst with laughter again, walking off the elevator. Senel noted that he was covered in cuts and bruises. Evidently he was just in some sort of fight.

Grinning wide amiably, the man said, "I am Vigoro, Admiral of the Third Fleet of the Valuan Armada. Pleased to meet another Silvite, although it's a downright pity you're not a woman ..." he looked Senel up and down. "You'd have made an amazing beauty."

Senel knit his brows together, bursting out, "What in the hell are you talking about!?" in mortification.

Vigoro laughed again, walking on by past Senel, into the Dangral base. "Fina and Ramirez are in the Lost Continent. Good Luck."

Senel stood rooted to the spot for a full minute before he clambered onto the elevator.

--

There was no other word for it. Walter Delques was downright pissed. The Ferines from all over the world were coming to the Legacy, and other Ferines settlements were being erected in different areas on the Legacy. The Merines herself had gone with Maurits to rally them, and it was for this Day of Diplomacy thing going on.

Sure, Walter promised Stella (who incidentally was handling things with the Ferines while the Merines was gone) that he'd try to accept the fact that Nerifes desired peace between Orerines and Ferines ... but the hate just wouldn't leave him so easily. No way could he forgive all the Orerines had done, under leadership of Vaclav ... all those Ferines that were tortured and killed, men, women, children, elderly, it didn't matter to them ...

Walter stopped walking, surprised. His absent walk around the village had subconsciously taken him to Stella's house. Because Stella was the only remaining family of the Merines, her room was nearly identical to Shirley's. Walter frowned deeply; what should he do? How was he supposed to feel? He never was a hateful person at heart, but when he thought of those filthy Orerines--

Dejected, Walter decided to pay Stella a visit. Since the Merines was gone, talking to Stella was the closest guidance he could get right now. And he chose a fitting person to speak to--Stella Telmes, the Guiding Star.

Tensely Walter knocked on the door, the coral material making a satisfying bounding sound. The door, shaped like a flower petal, slid open, and Stella was at the threshold, a look of surprise on her face.

"Walter!" She said, stepping back to let him in. Walter ambled into the house while Stella shut the door behind him.

"I don't get it ..." Walter said, his voice wavering. He faced Stella, eyes wide. "What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to feel about this Day of Diplomacy?! I hate all Orerines with all my heart and yet ..."

Stella put a firm hand on Walter's shoulder, and he fell silent. She sat him down at her table, and she sat down beside him. Stella looked Walter straight in the eye.

"Walter. Answer me honestly and truly. Look at Senel. Look at Senel and all his friends. Can you truly say, honest to Nerifes, that he and his friends are bad people?"

Walter blinked, confused. "Of course I can say they're bad people--"

Stella shook her head. "Actions speak louder than words. Think."

Walter tried not to, but instantly thoughts of Senel's actions and those of his companions rose to the surface of his mind. The first one he could think of was the incident three years ago, when the village was attacked by Vaclav ...

"Senel kidnapped the Merines three years ago." He said flatly.

Stella shook her head again, her voice soft but strong. "Did Senel ever hand Shirley over to Vaclav or anyone else who would use her for her power?"

Reluctantly, Walter replied. " ... No."

_Actions speak louder than words. _Senel had only been trying to save the Merines ... Shirley from danger. Senel had even saved Walter from certain death by rescuing him and Fenimore from the Waterways. His friends had even healed Walter when in truth they had no obligation to ...

Tears beaded at Walter's eyes.

" ... I know they're not truly bad people. But they're Orerines ..."

"Not all Orerines are the same, Walter. Where Vaclav killed countless Ferines and would have killed me and Shirley in his conquest for power, who were the ones who stopped him? Who were the ones who saved us?"

Walter took a few moments to find his voice. " ... Senel and his companions."

Stella nodded, softly smiling. "I know it's not easy to smile and forgive. But all things begin with trust. If we can't trust them, how can they trust us?"

Walter nodded numbly, finding truth in Stella's words. The Orerines of four thousand years ago might have tried to snuff out the Ferines ... but now, when the Merines tried activating the Wings of Light, were they, the Ferines, no different than the Orerines of ages past?

The very thought of that angered Walter. No, the Ferines were a much more respectable people than the Orerines! So there were Orerines that were inclined toward peace rather than war, so what? Walter would make sure that the Ferines wouldn't repeat the mistakes of the wayward race.

Walter nodded again, firmly this time. "Yes, that's true. If we had killed them all, we would have been no different than the Orerines four thousand years ago that tried to snuff us out."

Stella smiled broadly, standing up. "Good. I'm glad that you're willing to change, Walter."

As Walter left Stella's room, he felt a pang of guilt.

_I'm sorry, Stella ... Shirley._

--

Hoseia smiled triumphantly as he caught the wavelengths of the communication units of the Great Silver Shrine. He immediately logged onto the device that allowed him to speak with the Elders.

A holographic screen appeared before him, and he saw into the Elders' Chamber. All six of them looked the same they ever had, aged, withered. If not for the Shrine and their Silver crystals, they probably would have perished long ago.

"Elders," Hoseia said, and on the screen they all looked up. Elder Prime smiled wryly.

"I have not heard your voice in a long time ... Hoseia Tempestas."

"Well, I'll be damned," Hoseia replied with a chortle, "you managed to live longer than four thousand years. And you even remember me."

The Elders chuckled. "We truly long nothing more than to return to a state of nothingness. But we cannot do that until we confirm whether or not Arcadia today can survive."

Hoseia's demeanor became serious, all friendly chatter long gone from him. "Prime, be frank with me. What are you having Senel do on Arcadia?"

"He is in the Lost Continent as we speak, reviving Zelos before Ramirez and Galcian can put him to use."

Hoseia's blood ran cold. "What?! What about Kratos--"

Elder Prime's voice was cold, edged with a frozen triumph. "Safe up here, in the Great Silver Shrine with us."

Hoseia's jaw worked, nothing of speech coming from his throat. No ... Prime and the others surely weren't thinking of using Senel to bring about the Rains ... and have Senel and the other young Silvites on Arcadia perish in the Rains!?

"Dammit! Elders, you are insane!" Hoseia regained composure, breathing deeply. "But, no matter. Even if Senel doesn't know reviving Zelos might bring about the Rains, surely Ramirez and Galcian would tell him. After that, there's no way Senel would--"

Elder Prime cut him off midsentence, his tone grave. "No, I'm afraid that's not so. We've never done it before, but from up here, we Elders can take control of another Silvite's power. Ramirez and Fina are too strong; they know how to manipulate their crystals well. But Senel, newly awakened as a Silvite ... doesn't. When he comes in contact with Zelos, we will take control of his crystal ... and bring about the Rains of Destruction on Arcadia."

Hoseia banged his fist on the floor beside him, startling Reno and Nievia. " ... And what about Auldrant?"

Elder Prime's tone remained sadly grave. "We won't call the Rains until after Zelos has saved Auldrant."

Hoseia drummed his fingers on the metal floor he sat on, thinking fast, a million ideas rushing through his head.

Finally, he smiled. "All right, that's fine." And with that, he closed the comm. link to the Great Silver Shrine.

Reno's eyes were frantically wide. "The Silvite Elders called down the Rains?! And they're doing it again?!"

Hoseia nodded, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Yes. I need to be on Soltis before Senel contacts Zelos."

Nievia folded her arms, frowning. "But you have no means of reaching Arcadia, let alone Soltis."

"No, I do." Hoseia's wide smile showed off his almost ivory teeth. "I just need to pay a visit to Jay the Unseen."

--

Tear was sitting at the table in her room of the Great Silver Shrine, brooding. She was not used to being idle. All her life she was constantly on the move, doing something, if only it were doing errands for the Order of Lorelei back home on Auldrant. But the Elders made it plain that Senel and only Senel was needed to complete this ever-so-critical task of obtaining the lost means of ridding the fon belt of its obstruction.

But Tear didn't want Senel to go down to Arcadia all on his own. From the time she met him in the Quiet Lands, Tear had grown fond of him both as a friend and as an ally during battle. In fact, even if Senel was nearly entirely different, he reminded her of a certain red-haired noble on Auldrant ...

At the thought of her friends on her home planet, she frowned. Right up to when she left Auldrant with Kratos, the leaders of Auldrant had their citizens move into emergency underground cities in the case of a severe natural disaster. Tear had been to those underground cities herself a fair few times. They were, thanks to lost Dawn Age fonic technology, in every way like the cities on the surface--except it was devoid of true sunlight. Granted, on the surface nowadays, no real sunlight could reach because of the dense black thunderstorm clouds.

Tear thought of all the major cities on Auldrant--Yulia City, Baticul, Grand Chokmah, Daath, and a fair few others--being battered by constant thunderstorms and rough seas, hurricanes, twisters, and desert storms, and earthquakes. Baticul was surrounded by natural walls in the crater in which it was built. Undoubtedly the walls might cave in during powerful earthquakes, and Tear shuddered to think of the flooding that would occur if a rogue wave came from the sea.

Grand Chokmah would the be one in danger from water damage, since it was built on the water. Earthquakes might very well sever it from the mainland as well. Daath was by the volcano, so it was danger of hurricanes and sudden eruptions. Yulia City had stood over the course of two thousand years, but it was never a good thing to depend on technology that one hadn't the slightest idea of its workings.

Tear sighed. It did no good to constantly worry. The disruption had not been going on for very long, only half a month at best. And if Senel hurried to this Lost Continent the Elders spoke of, collateral damage would be minimum.

The most important thing, after all--human lives--had already been preserved.

--

The silence was awkward. Kratos avoided looking at the monitor screen, the device he was currently using to converse with his son. The son he left two years prior, to drift aimlessly on a comet-planet, destroying Exspheres and discarding them into the vaccuum of space.

"So ... how've you been?" Kratos asked, drumming his fingers on the smooth metal table of silvery white.

"Fine." Lloyd answered. In two years he changed little. "Sheena moved the people of Mizuho to Sylvarant. Presea's helping Regal with his business, which is booming since it now has headquarters in Sylvarant. Regal's using his company to help put Sylvarant together politically, since the Desians pretty much destroyed any organized government. Zelos and Colette are dealing with the abolishment of the Church of Martel, and Genis and the Professor are traveling."

Kratos sighed; one of relief or otherwise, he didn't know. The only certain thing was that Kratos felt incredibly foolish the way he had up and left his only family, entire planets away, and he had no idea how he was doing or even if he was still alive. When he received word from the Silvite Elders on Derris-Kharlan that they abducted his son to ensure his cooperation, Kratos had been scared to death.

He was sorry he ever left Aselia, and he wanted nothing more than to spill it to Lloyd and tell him he'd never leave him again. But now, here they were, face-to-face (at least via the communications device), and Kratos found he couldn't quite say it.

Instead, he thought of something else, something that had been bugging at him.

"Lloyd ... who abducted you? The Elders are far too fragile to be moving from the Shrine."

That, and they had no ships for interstellar travel--only to get down to Arcadia and back.

Lloyd's eyes went wide as he considered the question. "Hmm ... You remember how I was collecting Exspheres, right? And Dad helped me built my boat so I could travel on the seas, too. Well, I was en route to Luin in the river, and in broad daylight there was this ... black mist."

Kratos's eyebrow went up, and his lips parted. "Black mist?" He repeated.

Lloyd nodded onscreen, running a gloved hand through his reddish brown hair, which was unruly as it had ever been. "Yeah, black mist in broad daylight. It covered my ship, and I couldn't see anything. It was cold, and I heard a voice ... and then next thing I knew, I was up here in the Shrine."

Kratos considered this new tidbit of information. "Black mist" sounded like a characterisitic of the "Derines" that Jay mentioned in the Quiet Lands, and apparently the person controlling the black mist teleported Lloyd to the Great Silver Shrine. Kratos frowned; he had a good idea of who might've done it.

"That sounds a lot like the Darkites from the Dark Civilization of Old Arcadia. But the question is ... who? According to Silvite lore, the Dark Gigas went out of control and spontaneously exploded, and the Dark energy of its crystal infected the skies, becoming the Dark Rift. The Darkites and their civilization was apparently lost."

Lloyd shrugged. "That doesn't matter now. What matters is that I'm here, and I'm all right." He gave Kratos a questioning look through the computer screen. "Right?"

Kratos smiled softly. Of course his son was right; he always did have a knack for these kinds of questions.

"Yes, of course. You're right."

--

Never did Senel feel so utterly alone as he did when he rode the elevator leading into Deep Sky. The dark clouds swirling below him were foreboding, ominous, sparkling every so often with blue lightning. With the winds whipping about him, chilling him to the marrow, it felt as if he were descending into deepest reaches of the underworld.

Already it was difficult for Senel to see very much of anything beyond his own hand in front of his face, only lit up by the occasional bouts of lightning dancing within the clouds of the Vortex.

"I ... wish I had my own teriques," Senel said idly. At least if he had his own teriques, he could have a companion that would literally light the way for him.

After what felt like hours on the flatbed elevator, it came to a shuddering halt, and Senel knew he'd arrived at the Lost Continent in the Deep Sky. He clambered off the elevator, blindly feeling his way; he felt the same smooth metal with grooves engraved in it, just like at the Great Silver Shrine.

As soon as he touched the metal walls, the grooves lit up with silver light, and the entire hallway was illuminated for Senel to see. He blinked, his eyes unused to the light. He walked forward, eyes wide, jaw agape.

"So ... this is Soltis."

Senel had reached the home of the Silvites.

--

Hikaru: Sorry it's late! Anyway, I couldn't think of anything to call the inhabitants of the Black/Dark Moon besides Darkite (which sounds kinda weird) that would stay with the -ite thing.


	26. Advance

Hikaru: I spent all night cleaning the house ... so ... tired ...

--

It was still immeasurably cold, but Senel felt good as he wandered the huge silvery white halls. He had reached the Lost Continent of Soltis, the home of the Silvites. He felt strangely familiar about this place, and yet it was a new experience. Had his ancestors really spent their lives in this very same hall?

The smallish hall he walked through opened up a huge tower-like place with different platforms and warp pads. It was quite a magnificent sight to behold. His very footsteps echoed as he walked. With every warp pad he used, he descended deeper into the building, down, down to where the other Silvites and this Galcian were.

Senel wondered; how did Shirley feel when she met Fenimore, another Ferines, after three years of living among and thusly knowing only Orerines? It must've been a strange but good feeling; after so long being the only one of her people to find another. Senel knew that his feelings now must be so very different. Even after being told he was a Silvite, being shown the proof that was his crystal, donning the garb of his people ... he still regarded himself as an Orerines originating on Melfes.

Senel looked up, craning his neck, trying to see the platform from whence he came. It was really very far up; he'd come a long way down.

_Boom._

_Boom._

Vibrations. There was a steady pattern of heavy vibrations that Senel felt in his very bones. He recognized them as footsteps; they reminded him of the giant monsters Vaclav employed in his army as war beasts. Judging from the vibrations he felt now that were getting stronger every second, it was something so much bigger and stronger than the meagents. Senel grew afraid.

Out of the hall beyond came lumbering a huge humanoid _thing_ made of silver metal--a guardian, or a golem. The six white jewels embedded in its torso glowed. Even as it approached Senel, heavy arms raised undoubtedly to strike him, Senel remained rooted to the spot, fear freezing his limbs.

_He couldn't move._

"Wevlen!"

Screaming twisters of water and wind swirled about the golem, and it fell backward. Feeling weak, Senel fell to his knees, drawing in shuddery and shaky breaths. A woman's voice called to him.

"Are you all right?"

It echoed throughout the huge tower-like area, and Senel looked over his shoulder. He didn't see the person who saved him; they must be on a platform above him. Surely enough, he saw the glow of a warp pad, and he saw them--a teenage male about Senel's age dressed in blue, a young man clad in a long red coat, a redheaded girl who wore her hair in braids, and--

Senel's breath hitched.

Among the Arcadians was a young woman who wore a white dress decorated with silver and gold.

_Fina._

The name leapt unbidden in Senel's mind, and memories flashed before his eyes. He remembered being a young child in the Great Silver Shrine, with two other children his age, a boy and a girl dressed in the garb of Silvites. They were atop the Shrine, gazing admiringly at the great Silver Moon above them, presiding over all.

Senel blinked as he felt the ground shake as the golem rose to its feet. Senel stood, backing a ways off. This golem, a remnant of the Silver Civilization, would undoubtedly be unaffected by Silver magic, and Senel knew no other Lunar power ...

He took in a deep breath. Fina was safe; she had allies with her. Right now his priority should be Ramirez, who was bent on reviving the Rains of Destruction.

"Be safe, Fina," Senel whispered.

He lunged forward toward the golem and somersaulted under one of its arms as it tried to attack him. Feeling the heavy vibrations on the floor that signed that the golem was pursuing him, Senel scrambled to his feet and sprinted forward. Behind him he heard Fina cast another Lunar spell:

"Pyrulen!"

A burst of heat sent Senel surging forward in the doorway, into a dimly illuminated hall. The door slid shut behind him. Senel coughed, getting to his feet. This hall was deathly silent, and with a foreboding atmosphere.

Adjusting the bracers on his arms, Senel strode forward.

--

The Day of Diplomacy was fast approaching. Hoseia rushed to the duct nearest the Bridge Plain, the one resting by the Crags of the Legacy's inland sea. Nievia and Reno decided to accompany him; they didn't want Hoseia to endanger himself. As of now, those three, along with the Silvite Elders and the young Silvites were the only Old World Arcadians in existence. To lose any of their number now would be tragic.

Jay would surely still be with the Oresoren at their village; it would take a day or so to travel to the Altar of the Sea on the bow of the Legacy, and maybe even less since the Oresoren were natrually good swimmers (they might decide to swim along the shallow sea to the Altar).

"I wonder if the Temple of Pyrynn still stands in the sands beneath the Red Moon ..." Reno wondered as they approached the sea shore upon coming to the edge of the flooded Bridge Plain.

"That temple survived the Gigas and the Rains, didn't it?" Hoseia asked with a grin. "I think it would survive a little sand!"

At this Reno smiled. Nievia still wasn't very talkative; perhaps all Violites were like that. That made Hoseia think. Before, when they all lived on Old World Arcadia, in the days the seven Empires were at the peaks of their power, everyone except their own was their enemy. The Empires might forge alliances with one another, but they'd turn tail once the common enemy was out of action.

The Silver Empire was the most neutral one. After what its Gigas had done to the planet, changing the very structure and nature of the world by depriving it of its ocean, they had made bitter enemies with the Blue Empire. Afterward, the Silvites had stayed in Soltis, the entire continent veiled under their Dome of Light defense mechanism.

The Yellow Empire was most ruthless, not unlike the current country the flourished beneath the Yellow Moon. Hoseia recalled his former life on Arcadia--he was a researcher, a Mage, and a warrior all in one. When his co-working researchers had devised a way to mimick the Silvites in imbuing one of their number with a Yellow Moon Crystal, Hoseia was the one chosen for it. He had no say.

Since Hoseia was already dexterous in channeling different Lunar powers, the integration process wasn't nearly as painful as it might've been, but Hoseia had had better days. After gaining the crystal that now resided within him, he'd changed in appearance. His once rich blond hair had turned an electric bluish purple, and his skin was still fair, but now it was a very fair shade of purple. His eyes already had been blue, but instead of reflecting the blue of the sea that once existed on Arcadia, it now relfected the blue of the purest lightning.

Absently Hoseia wondered how it had been for Nievia and Reno to gain their Moon Crystals. News of the Yelites' doing in the rebirth of Hoseia had spread, and at least the Purple and Red Empires sought to do the same. Was it not impossible that the other six Empires all endeavored in the same thing?

Hoseia had already seen one curious person whose aura rather reminded him of an Old World Arcadian ...

The sea crashed against the rocky shores, and the coral red duct was visible nearby. Hoseia's skin tingled with the salty sea breeze, and he breathed in the refreshing scent of the ocean deeply.

On Old World Arcadia, if Hoseia had met Reno and Nievia during the Gigas Wars, undoubtedly they would be hell bent on killing one another. Here they were all Old World Arcadians, stranded on a foreign world, banding together. Such interracial unity on Old World Arcadia was rare.

Hoseia had first met Reno and Nievia a few thousand years ago, before the Silvites that later became the Orerines had left Arcadia before the Elders had called the Rains of Destruction. Many Gigas still terrorized the planet, and Darkite intelligence had gotten wind of the Elder Prime's plan to use Zelos to call down the Rains.

The Darkite leader of the time had notified four other Empire leaders of this plan--the leaders of the Purple, Red, Yellow, and Green Empires. Assassins were chosen--the Yelite Hoseia, Violite Nievia, and Crimsite Reno. The Green Empire never responded to this information. Together Hoseia, Nievia, and Reno stormed Soltis, using their Moon Crystals to force their way through the Dome of Light. However, upon reaching the central tower where the Silver Gigas Zelos was kept, they were captured, restrained by powerful Silver enchantment.

The next thing they knew, they were loaded onto the ship--that would later become the Legacy--as sources of power for their Moon Crystals. The only element missing was that of earth, a characterisitic of the Green Moon. That was when Hoseia suspected that the Darkite leader had purposely lured Hoseia and the others to Soltis.

And when next he woke ...

The lid of the duct opened, a golden spiral light marking the duct safe for travel. Hoseia and the others stepped in it, and felt the familiar sensation of being teleported away as the duct lid closed on them and the scenery changed before them.

--

Norma had nothing particularly important to do, so she borrowed a horse courtesy of Will, intending to set out to Port-On-Rage to meet Shirley, who was scheduled to come back now that the Day of Dimplomacy was near. Maurits and the remaining Ferines who were migrating to the Legacy, their new homeland, were coming along as well.

As Norma rode her borrowed Rexalian quarter horse at a swift trot on the dirt road. The earth was packed well, so not many clouds of dust misted over the road. Footprints of human travelers as well as those of animals and monsters marked the road.

Back in Rexalia, riding and hunting horseback was a common sport for most nobles, and some of the middle classed people. The older families usually had at least one full stable of horses of suitable breeding, bred to run, jump, just about anything. Norma remembered that her parents, of the middle class, had only one horse, a secondhand cross draft used for riding and the pulling of carts and wagons. When they had first received the horse from a snobbish noble who wanted only the best in his stable, the poor thing wasn't in the best of health. It took a fair amount of time and money to get the horse back to optimal health.

Vaguely Norma wondered how her parents were doing ever since she up and ran away from home to search for the Everlight. Bitterly, she hung her head. They must be so angry and disappointed in her. They probably hoped that what with her mentor Sven pushing her through a top-notch school, she'd make something of herself and make a wealthy living. But after he died, there was no one left to finance her schooling, and she was thrown out, back to a run-of-the-mill middle-classed school, where the majority of students her age there knew absolutely nothing about anything Norma did.

Granted, the school itself wasn't terrible--it just seemed the other students were slower academically. Much, much slower. Norma remembered trying to teach a classmate of hers the basics of Relares, and she couldn't even grasp that. Upon turning sixteen, Norma grew bored with school; it was far too easy, and she wanted to complete her master's unfinished dream of finding the Everlight.

So without a peep to her folks, Norma high-tailed it to the Rexalian port and left for the Legacy, stat. Her parents must not even know whether or not Norma was even alive. When Norma tried to write to them before, she just couldn't find the strength to do it.

"Mom, dad ... I'm sorry ..." Norma whispered. There was no way she could ever show her face at her old home ever again. If she did, she had to at least accomplish what she had set out to do--find the Everlight.

And after the day Stella "died," Norma time and time again beat herself up about it. The Everlight was right there--right there! Right beside her the entire time, and it broke when Shirl and Senny tried to use it to save Stella's fading life. It broke! The stupid stone could've had the decency to keep in one piece even if it didn't work, but no!

Norma smacked herself on the forehead. She was just being selfish, and she knew it. The stone probably did work something--for Stella showed up very much alive to save them all in the Mirage Palace. For three years Stella was comatose, as her mind was connected to the Legacy. If her consciousness had stayed in her mortal body, undoubtedly she would have died, as her body was too weak to support a consciousness that attained so much power from being in tune with the Legacy. But the Everlight fragment Shirl had ... it must've done something to save Stella's body from dying ...

The sting of salt on the wind told Norma that Port-On-Rage was close at hand; it was clearly visible on the horizon. It looked super busy even from far off, tiny dots that were people boarding and getting off boats, carrying luggage and other things, horses carrying their owners' belongings and pulling carts and wagons.

"Wow, I wonder how many of those people are all Radiant ..." Norma spurred her mount with her heels, stirring the horse into a swift gallop toward the port. She wanted to ask Shirley if she knew anything about the Everlight--or the Tear of something-or-other, as Senel called it before. The Everlight seemed to possess a quality that clicked well with Radiant, for the stone Shirley used to wear saved her life once before.

Of course, Norma had her own ideas where the resting place of the Everlight might be, but who better to ask than the Merines?

--

Moses lay on the dewey grass with Giet, eyes fixed on the lush green canopy above that allowed only bits of sunlight to reach the forest floor. Moses and his clansmen were reluctant to return to the Forest of No Return so soon after Vaclav's Terrors had razed it to the ground, but they didn't want to return to their old hideout, either. The Forest of No Return was optimal for concealment since most people wound up losing their way in it, and danger was minimal now that Vaclav and his Terrors were gone.

Unlike the complex buildings in the cities elsewhere, Moses' tribe camp was relatively simple, just like the dwellings of his original tribe--smallish huts or tents made with tree branches and monster skins of all kinds. Each of Moses's clansmen used a certain kind of monster skin or combination of skins to identify their houses, a touch of personal taste.

Moses might be the leader of the clan, but for all intents and purposes he was equal and the same to everyone else. No matter what kind of insults that Jay might spew, Moses had a good head on his shoulders and he knew what he was doing as "leader" of the clan.

He had been so very scared when Cashel and Stingle had razed the entire camp--it was so thorough that Moses was certain no one had survived. How glad was he when he met up with his boys after the battle with Vaclav on the Bridge!

Being absent when he was needed most--that was what Moses feared above all else as a leader.

There was a snorting sound, a kind of snuffling nearby. Giet's pointed ears perked, and he raised his head from its previous state of resting atop his paws. Moses withdrew one of his spears, growing cautious. He knew that sound so very well--it was the sound of a deinonych, more commonly referred to as raptors. It might just be Ven and Csaba, but from that noise it sounded like the raptor--or raptors--in his midst were actually _hunting _him and Giet.

"Look sharp, Giet," Moses whispered, and his grand galf snarled, baring his fangs. Moses looked all around the thick foliage, searching for the slightest movement and listening for noise--but well-coordinated raptors rarely made noise if they could help it. Coordinated hunting needed no language. Communication was all done by the eyes and subtle head gestures.

At that thought Moses grew increasingly afraid. How many were there, if these raptors were in fact hunting him? A pack usually consisted of three to five raptors, two at the minimum, five plus at a max if there were additional family members. And, like galves, raptors were smart.

Moses edged toward a bubbling book nearby. He bent down, picked up a stone, and tossed it in the stream, producing a small splash. It was brief, but it happened--a sharp, raspy snort, as if the raptor were keeping water off its muzzle. All right, one by the brook. Where else?

Among where the hunters were, another important factor was determing just how many there were. Moses and Giet could probably handle one or two alone, but if there were more than two ... they were most certainly doomed. Raptors could run unbelievably fast for creatures of their size, at least cheetah speed.

Giet inched toward some shrubbery across from the spot where one raptor lay in wait. In a frightening instant Giet lunged in the foliage, where the telltale scream of a raptor rang painfully in Moses's ears. He didn't dare move, to even look away from the spot where the other raptor hid. To do so was suicidal.

Giet howled in rage, and Moses heard a_ crunch _and a _snap _of what was undoubtedly bone. Moses dearly hoped it wasn't Giet who was injured. Giet bounded back out of the foliage, his muzzle fur sticky with bright red blood. All right, Giet!

Without fear Moses and Giet charged the remaining raptor. It had been taken by surprise; no respectably prey should just rush in the predator like that! Within half a minute the raptor was dead. The raptors here looked nothing like Ven. Ven was a plains raptor, while these ones were forest-dwellers, with cool blue skin and black stripes, their eyes a sharp turquoise.

Moses's heart hammered against his chest with the adrenaline still flowing strongly. A huge smirk spread across his face.

"I can't die just yet, folks! I got meself a family to protect!"

--

Grune frowned as she wandered about the beach, watching the once raging waves of the ocean calmly lapping at the sandbar, tranquil. In the Mirage Palace, she had called forth that giant tree in a crystal eres she did not recall ever having. Ever since she had been granted sacred eres by the Quiet Nerifes, bits and pieces of her memory came to her, but she could not make much sense of them. Only one thing was certain--with her memory slowly returning, her short-term memory loss was gone.

Come to think, the Quiet Nerifes had granted her sacred eres without so much batting an eyelash. Everyone else had to speak to the Quiet Nerifes for it to confirm whether or not to trust them with such power. Even Senel had given adequate reason, and yet Nerifes couldn't comply ... but Stella and Hoseia had said that it was due to the Raging Nerifes overcoming the will of the Quiet Nerifes.

But why did the Quiet Nerifes trust Grune with power? Was there something she had to do that she hadn't accomplished yet? And, these memory fragments ... was there any way to speed up her memory recovery?

Grune doubted it. The best healing arts, those of Nerifes put into use through the Merines could heal the deepest wounds, save any life on the bleakest edge of death ... but nothing could be done for things like regaining one's memory. For a Ferines it might be possible, but Grune was not a Ferines.

Grune sat on the white sands of the beach, watching the waves. Her fingertips began to glow a leaf green aura, her eres. How she wished to hear the voice of both Nerifes on this matter! It seemed that Nerifes knew something about Grune that she did not. If only she could hear the voice of Nerifes ...

An idea came to her. The Merines is the ultimate form of communication with the great will of the sea. And Shirley was due back on the Legacy right about now, since the Day of Diplomacy between Ferines and Orerines was just around the bend. It also took place on the Altar of the Sea, the place where the Merines communicated with Nerifes.

A smile came to her. Whatever it was the Nerifes knew about her that she did not--it could wait. Right now what Grune wanted to see the most was peace between Orerines and Ferines.

Grune stood up, making her way back to the road that led to Werites Beacon, still smiling heartily.

A cloud of black mist rolled over the sea, from the horizon, toward the shore.

--

Hikaru: Sorry it's so late ... a certain middle-schooler and her friend kept hogging the computer.


	27. Fatality

Hikaru: I wanna get a head start on this chapter so I can go finish the car windows ... once I get paid, I can FINALLY afford a PSP and then we'll sign up to GameFly (since BlockBuster's being lame) and I can rent ToW: Radiant Mythology! Sweet.

--

Jay was surpised to be have such guests in his house, and so were the Oresoren, although they were certainly happy-go-lucky as always. They all sat in the common room of Jay's house, just as he hosted Senel, Will, Chloe, and Norma when they requested information on Vaclav's doing on the Legacy.

Pippo was casually plucking strings on his little harp, seated on the scallop swing. Quppo sat across from the guests, and Poppo sat near Pippo, a wrench in hand, working on some little gadget. Fascinating how the Oresoren could use tools and make things on a level on par with humans, when they had no real hands.

Jay sighed, looking to his visitors.

"You're saying I can help prevent the Silvite Elders from taking control of Senel via his crystal by taking you people to Soltis before he contacts the Silver Gigas?"

Hoseia sat with his legs crossed, his hands resting on his knees. On either side of him were his companions, so named Reno and Nievia. Jay had no idea there were more of Hoseia's kind--elementals. After Jay had seen what sort of things Hoseia could do with his power over electricity, he shuddered to think what the beings of ice and fire could do.

Nonetheless, he forced himself to remain civil.

"Forgive me, but I'm afraid I don't quite see how I could help."

More than anything, Jay was annoyed that Hoseia and his ilk had chosen to come to him at this particular time, when Jay was supposed to be heading off to the Altar of the Sea with Pippo and Mippo as representatives of the Oresoren. True, the engaged couple could go by themselves, but Jay never liked to leave the Oresoren anywhere alone. After seeing how harshly the Orerines and Ferines treated one another--cousin species, very much alike--he was terrified how the Oresoren might be treated.

Hoseia adjusted his glasses, seeming relatively calm despite the situation he just described to Jay.

"Inhabitants of the lands under the Dark Moon--and those descended from them--have power over darkness. That includes all forms of darkness, excluding outer space, seeing how nothing could freely control that. With your power, you could find a shadow equal to those of the shadows in the Lost Continent, and teleport us there."

Jay shrugged, skeptical.

"All I can do is invoke darkness in my eres, among small other things." He did not feel quite like sharing his shadow galf with anybody.

Hoseia nodded in agreement.

"I thought you might say that, which is why--" he rummaged in one of the pockets of his lab coat, withdrawing a closed fist-- "I brought _this_ with me."

Extending his fist out to Jay, he opened his fingers and nestled in his palm was a stone, like one of the smallish stones one could find by a riverbank. It was pitch dark, unnaturally dark, and purple streaks gleamed admist the blackness.

"The dark moonstones help one control the fabric of gravity and space, and perhaps time as well. The Darkites were a very secretive people and would not reveal the natures of their technologies with any of the other Civilizations, even during the peaceful eras before the Gigas. Which is why researchers such as myself sought to obtain dark moonstones to put under study. In the hands of a Darkite or the descendant of one, we could pull off such a feat."

Jay held out his hand, and Hoseia dropped the stone in his hand. Immediately Jay felt the flow of power in his hand, traveling in his very _blood. _His heart hammered against his chest, and his head began to ache faintly. Careful not to let his astonishment seep through, Jay stared at the moonstone.

"Even if you give me this, there's no guarantee I can do what you ask. I have never tried to work crystal eres, which require one to build up and channel great amounts of energy to reach the desired power."

Reno made a disgusted sound, irritated.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say were trying to avoid doing it!"

Jay shrugged. "As you know, the Day of Diplomacy is close now, and we really should be heading to the Altar of the Sea--"

Reno banged his fist on the ground, and Jay heard the unmistakable _snap _that fires make.

"Do you not understand? If you don't do this for us, the Elders will deliberately and knowingly _kill _Senel and the all the other inhabitants of Arcadia by having him call down the Rains!"

Jay remained silent, feeling the pulse and silent thrum of the dark moonstone in his hand.

Nievia spoke, her voice light as a thin mist.

"We still have a little time left to us; Elder Prime did say he wouldn't use the Rains on Arcadia until Senel uses Zelos to save Auldrant from its current predicament."

Reno banged his fist on the ground again, and Jay momentarily feared that if the elemental wasn't careful, he would start a fire.

"Those pompous bastards," the fire elemental snarled.

Hoseia pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose; they were slipping.

"We are the only ones who can stop the Elders from controlling Senel."

Silence reigned for an immeasurable length of time. Finally, Jay closed his fist on the dark moonstone in his hand, the strange powers associated with it sinking into his very being.

"All right. Let's do it."

--

There was still one thing Kratos never ceased to worry about during his stay in the Great Silver Shrine. What did the Elders do about the primitive Exsphere still undoubtedly attached to Senel? Well, it was attached when Senel had come to the Shrine, but the Elders never told Kratos if they had done something to the Exsphere.

Granted, with a modern-day Exsphere, all one had to do was remove the thing from its Key Crest, but Senel's case was a first, with a primitive Exsphere no less. The power of the Exsphere no doubt clashed with the power of the Silver Moon Crystal, but that clash was at a minimal before it "awakened" within Senel. The Exsphere now made Senel's power inherently unstable, and even if taking the thing off him went smoothly, there was the question of whether or not Senel knew how to freely dismiss and invoke the crystal's power at will.

What worried Kratos the most was that the Elders had forbidden anybody accompanying Senel. Kratos never doubted that Senel could take care of himself in dangerous situations, but the thought of Senel alone in Soltis, with no allies he could fall back on, scared Kratos a little.

And Kratos was told that Ramirez was the best swordsman, the best Silvite warrior, and Galcian was the best fighter in all of Valua. Silver magic might make things go a little easier if Senel had fight either of them, but Ramirez, a Silvite, most certainly had measures against that. And Galcian, whom Ramirez served, might have protection against Eterni spells as well.

Finally, Kratos decided to consult the Silvite Elders on the matter. Using the communication device in his room, Kratos rang up the Elders in their dimly lit chamber. All of them appeared onscreen.

"Elders," Kratos said.

None answered, waiting for Kratos to go on.

"I've been wondering ... did you do anything about the Exsphere attached to Senel?"

Elder Orbis coughed. "Ah, that thing ... we were thinking about removing it ..."

Elder Cross continued. "But once we saw what it did to Senel's crystal, we thought it would be better to leave it on."

Kratos raised an eyebrow, confused. "Why? If Senel gets overly emotional, it'll affect his crystal, rendering it unstable and uncontrollable. Tear and I were almost killed when that last happened."

Elder Stout nodded. "Precisely. If that happens while Senel is in danger, even a Silvite won't be protected from it."

Elder Prime smiled wryly. "Therefore, even if Ramirez and Galcian jointly fought him, Senel would have more than enough strength to do away with them both."

Kratos's mouth went dry. "Do you ... have no regard for Senel? I'm quite certain that kind of unstable power outburst is in no way healthy for him."

Indeed, not. It was because of that first happening that Senel had lost his soul, and it had taken the power of Nerifes through the Merines to bring him back. After that, the crystal fully manifested.

Elder Halos's voice was grave. "In order to save Auldrant, as well as Arcadia, there is no other option, Kratos. That is why you and Tear were forbidden to accompany him--if that same phenomenon happened while you were with him, you'd certainly be killed."

Kratos's eyes hardened as he looked on to the Elders on the monitor screen, all nice and cushy in their wall panels, the Silvite equipment keeping them strong and healthy while their youths fought for their lives and more so many miles below them.

"I wish," Kratos said, his voice low and menacing, "I could believe you."

And he switched off the monitor.

--

Through the next doorway, there was a spacious room, and in the center of that room was an altar. Atop the altar was a transparent pyramid, and trapped in that pyramid was a small silver sphere. All around the altar there were smaller ones, and within each one was a different colored Moon Crystal, each radiating their unique shine.

Standing at the altar were two men--a young one clad in a Valuan Admiral uniform with silvery blond hair and green eyes, and an older one wearing the garb of a Valuan commander.

No doubt about it--Senel had found both Ramirez and Galcian.

The two men whirled around to see who had interrupted them in the awakening of the Silver Gigas, Zelos--and Ramirez's eyes went wide in shock. Galcian noticed this with a cold indifference.

"Ramirez, you ... know this insect?"

Senel felt himself grow angry. Now this man, Galcian--he and Vaclav could've been brothers! No doubt Galcian had used and killed countless people to get to where he is now!

Ramirez remained speechless for a time before finally answering his lord.

"Yes, Lord Galcian. He is ... a Silvite, but I have not seen him since my childhood."

Senel took a few steps forward, but stopped dead when Galcian addressed him.

"So the Elders sent reinforcements, eh? We have been ... lacking a certain Moon Crystal and were just discussing from whom to take the Silver Moon Crystal ..."

_From whom to take the Silver Moon Crystal ... _Hearing those words made Senel feel sick to the stomach. The Elders in the Shrine told him that whatever happens, guard his crystal at all costs. Every Silvite was born with a piece of the Silver Crystal within them, and each had the full power of a Moon Crystal, to control a Gigas. In short, the crystal was the life force of the Silvites.

Just as Vaclav used the life force of Ferines to fire the Nerifes Cannon, Galcian was willing to use the life force of a Silvite to call down the Rains of Destruction.

Senel cursed under his breath. Why had the Elders made him dress in the garb of a Silvite? Then he realized it wouldn't matter either way--Ramirez might be able to identify other Silvites by the presence of the crystal alone, or if Senel did get killed, the crystal would escape his body anyway.

Senel raised his fists, his eres coming immediately to his call.

"Take it from me, if you can!"

--

A place with shadows equal to the darkness of the Lost Continent submerged in Deep Sky ... not an easy thing to match up to, Jay knew.

And to be able to re-create the conditions of Deep Sky Soltis for the teleport across planets, the atmosphere would have to be very, very, cold. Hoseia told Jay not to worry about the temperature; he had Reno and Nievia for that. Jay was to just concentrate on finding a place chock full of darkness, and to follow Hoseia's instructions regarding the teleport.

For the matter of darkness, Jay suggested going somewhere underground. The first place that came to mind that was underground was the Great Hollow, for it was deep underneath the earth atop the Legacy. After reaching the deepest level of the Great Hollow, the graveyard of the Grand Gaets, Reno and Nievia would work jointly to dim whatever light there was and to make it as cold as possible to match Deep Sky Soltis.

Since going to the Great Hollow on foot would take too much time, it was decided to use the duct to pass through the one in Werites Beacon and use that duct to reach the Great Hollow. Getting to the deepest part of the structure alone would take much precious time.

But when they reached Werites Beacon, trouble was abroad.

-

"Crusandian monsters! Get the hell outta our town!"

A band of Gadorian soldiers drew their swords, cornering another band of Crusandian soldiers, who had no choice but to take up arms as well.

"Your town? Who the hell made it yours? Crusandians have the right to travel through this town just as you Gadorians do!"

The Gadorians charged the Crusandians, retorting, "The Rexalians helped our country in its darkest hour when your commander Vaclav destroyed Mt. Zeriques! We're Rexalia's allies, you scum!"

Jay, Hoseia, Reno, and Nievia stepped off the duct, and Jay heaved a heavy sigh. This was not the thing they needed to deal with right now. Jay looked at Hoseia questioningly, and Hoseia stepped forward to confront the brawling soldiers, Reno and Nievia flanking him. They sure looked quite a sight; Hoseia with his odd complexion, Reno and Nievia in their respective traditional garments.

Hoseia put his hands together once, as if applauding something, and a huge rolling thunderclap boomed over the town of Werites Beacon. The soldiers, shocked, stopped fighting at once. Hoseia folded his arms, addressing the soldiers.

"Gentlemen, surely you know the Day of Diplomacy, a treaty of peace between not only Ferines and Orerines, but all the countries of Orerines as well is near. How would it reflect on both your leaders if the people of other nations saw you brawling now, in the most delicate time of both your countries?"

_Not very well,_ Jay thought with a smirk. The soldiers didn't look too satisfied, though, to be receiving advice from these ... strange people.

A crude soldier clad in his red Crusandian uniform brandished his sword at Hoseia, gruff face contorted in anger.

"And just who the hell are you?"

Hoseia shrugged, a small smile on his face. "Oh, just a researcher passing by."

The Gadorian knight who picked a fight with the Crusandian soldiers rounded on Hoseia.

"We can't forgive these bastards; they attacked our capital! Destroyed our Mt. Zeriques!"

Hoseia put his hand on the knight's soldier, and delivered a small shock. The soldier shook with the electricity and became still, although he twitched in places. His mouth remained clamped shut after that.

"I'm not asking you to forgive each other. I doubt you ever can. But peace between your countries must prevail. How can you keep peace with Ferines, if you can't even make peace between yourselves?"

Each and every soldier stood in paralyzed silence. Hoseia nodded, turning back toward the duct, Reno and Nievia following him.

Finally, Jay stepped on the duct, the elementals following him. Just when they were about to activate the duct to take them to the Great Hollow, Jay stopped. Hoseia seemed confused.

"What is it?"

Jay looked back toward town, expecting to see something, but saw nothing.

"I was just thinking it was a bit odd that--"

A loud, musical voice bellowed,

"Hey, you there, don'tcha know the rules of this town!?"

The soldiers all yelped, surprised.

Jay shook his head. "Never mind, let's go."

--

Senel wasn't feeling at all confident when he challenged both Galcian and Ramirez to take his Silver Moon Crystal from him. He was alone, and a novice wielder of Silver magic, whereas Ramirez was a very adept Silvite warrior--the very best--and Galcian, Ramirez's superior and best fighter in all of Valua, possibly in all the lands, surely knew every aspect of Yellow magic and quite a few handy Silver spells as well.

When Ramirez came charging at Senel, silver blade coming right for him, he did the first thing that came to mind--slammed his clenched hands on the ground, producing a huge shockwave that floored Ramirez. Ramirez yelled out, stunned. His blade clattered away when he hit the floor on his back.

As Senel straightened up, he smirked. Demon Fist always was a specialty of his.

"Ramirez, you can do better than that." Galcian said coldly.

Flustered, Ramirez recovered his weapon, chanting for a spell. Electric yellow lines formed underfoot, building a Yellow spell crest. Senel didn't know which spell Ramirez was casting, but he had a good idea of how to avoid it.

Ramirez released the dormant Yellow energy within him, shouting, "Driln!"

Senel felt the energy blasting toward him, like a cannon. He threw his hands outward, plams flat. A silvery blue barrier materialized just in time to reflect the attack. Senel had hoped Ramirez would get the full brunt of his own attack, but with only a flick of his wrist, the energy nulled right then and there.

Ramirez took this opportunity to show off. He beckoned to the Silver Moon, the radiance of his own crystal shining through his glove. With a start Senel noticed Ramirez's crystal was on the same hand as Senel's.

"Moons ... grant me your blessing!" He said in a low, menacing voice. A silver light washed over Ramirez, and he seemed much stronger than before. He moved with astonishing speed, and aimed to behead Senel as he charged.

Senel grappled Ramirez's sword arm, throwing himself backward. They both went down, and Senel threw the other Silvite over his head, across the altar room. Ramirez took the fall with a very audible _smash _against the wall. Senel leapt to his feet, but Ramirez took his time getting back up.

Senel gave a disgusted noise, looking down on Ramirez.

_"This_ is the very best Silvite warrior? Walter was ten times harder to fight than you, and I fought him four-on-one!"

Indeed, in this instant it seemed that the blessings of Nerifes were even greater than the blessings of the Silver Moon.

At least he knew Ramirez wouldn't sprout wings, zephyrs, or automata on him.

Ramirez chuckled darkly. "I never expected anyone could be such a talented unarmed fighter."

Senel snorted, amused. "Funny you'd say that."

At this, Galcian's chilly voice interrupted. "Any unarmed fighter that has challenged Ramirez before has fallen within half a second, and I exaggerate nothing."

_Probably frozen in fear,_ Senel thought. He knew how it felt to be confronted by one such as Walter, whose power was unquestionable. If Senel had fought him one-on-one, he most certainly would have been killed.

Ramirez chortled again, in such a low, dark voice that Senel began to feel just a little creeped out. Ramirez rushed him again, and Senel once again prepared to grapple, sweep kick, or whip out another iron eres to deal with him. But Ramirez was the one who made the unexpected move--he grabbed Senel's left wrist, the hand of which housed his Silver Moon Crystal.

Before Senel could wrench it out of Ramirez's grasp, the other Silvite gave it a sharp squeeze, and Senel was blinded in white-hot pain, orginating in his left hand. Screaming, he broke away from Ramirez, holding his hand tightly.

Ramirez and Galcian joined in victorious laughter this time.

Senel fell to his knees, still clutching his hand, panting for breath, his forehead beaded in a cold sweat. "Wh-what the hell did you ... do!?"

Ramirez once again charged for a Yellow spell, the ground glowing like lightning. While he invoked the Yellow Moon's power through Lunar prayer, Galcian indulged Senel on the details of what had happened a few second earlier.

"Ramirez cut the flow of power from your Silver Moon Crystal. Actually, it should benefit us after we take it from you ... its power is now concentrated within itself, no longer is the Silver energy circulating through your body."

Senel didn't know what to do. The Yellow spell crest was now complete, and sparks of electricity danced in and out of life around Ramirez. Senel felt the tight cage of panic closing on his chest, but he forced himself to remain calm. There was something he learned while he trained in Vaclav's army, a very useful and invaluable thing--

_Use what the situation provides._

Calmly Senel asked himself, what can I use here that will help me survive?

His eyes wandered, and they fell upon the altar embedded with each of the Moon Crystals save one--the Silver one. The Blue Moon Crystal's radiance caught Senel's eye, and with wild abandon he lunged for it.

Ramirez had just finishing gathering energy for the spell, and he unleashed it at that same moment:

"Electrulen!"

A huge burst of electricity blinded Senel in mid-jump, the Blue Moon Crystal at his fingertips--Senel screamed, rolling across the altar floor, all the feeling in his legs completely, utterly_ gone._

"Well done, Ramirez. Perhaps this one was just lucky." Galcian said, looking down at Senel, who was still reeling from the Electrulen spell. His eyes were closed, and he breathed heavily. The lower half of his body was burned, and lay still.

A few moments passed in silence before Galcian asked Ramirez, "Would you like me to dispose of this insect?"

Ramirez shook his head, slowly approaching the fallen Senel, sword in hand. "With all due respect, Lord Galcian--only a Silvite can end the life of another Silvite."

Galcian nodded respectfully, stepping aside as Ramirez drew closer and closer to Senel, sword raised high in the air, prepared to deliver the final blow.

Senel wrenched his eyes open despite the immeasurably intense pain, seeing in half-light Ramirez coming closer and closer, the deadly silver blade poised to strike.

_H-help me ... somebody ... anybody ..._

--

Hikaru: CLIFFHANGER! But at least you guys get this chapter early! A little present for you all who wait ever so patiently for me!


	28. Contact

Hikaru: Gah, late again! Sorry! I've been playing a lot of Radiant Mythology … and Valkyrie Profile. Heheh.

--

Jay manually shut down every single light-giving mechanism in Poppo's workshop, shutting off all other manner of machinery as well. Although Soltis undoubtedly had machinery of its own, it most certainly wouldn't be anything like machines on Melfes.

After all the machines had been turned off along with the lights, Jay came to the grand gaet graveyard, where his elemental friends were waiting.

Hoseia's voice came out of the darkness.

"Are you ready?"

Jay nodded, then remembered that Hoseia probably couldn't see the action in such darkness.

"Yes."

Jay felt Reno and Nievia's powers at work: Reno dimmed whatever small amount of light there was, and Nievia drowned out warmth so that it became immeasurably cold. Jay's hands, nose, ears, and feet went numb, and his breath rattled in the frigidity. He drew out the dark moonstone, closing his eyes and his hands over it. He imagined the place Hoseia described—a huge continent with magnificent silver buildings, submerged in Deep Sky, an unrelenting deep sea of clouds …

The power within the moonstone pulsed, like a heartbeat, and just like a duct, Jay felt the surrounding area change …

--

"Crystalen!"

Searing chill and countless pillars of ice formed in the altar room, engulfing everything in their path in quick succession, a frigid wildfire. All Senel could focus on was the intense pain in his lower body, that he couldn't move his legs or even feel them.

He opened his eyes to see the Arcadians that had helped him before charge in, throwing spell after spell at Galcian and Ramirez, who seemed to forget he was supposed to be killing Senel.

Senel rolled over onto his front, using his arms to slowly and painfully crawl across the floor, toward the Blue Moon Crystal, whose brilliant aqua light shone to Senel like a beacon of safety.

"Senel!"

Footsteps, and someone crouched beside him. Soft feminine hands caressed his shoulders. It was Fina, although Senel wished it were either Stella or Shirley.

A warm light washed over Senel, and gradually the pain in his legs and feet disappeared, tingling as they came back online. Senel groaned, pushing himself off the ground. Fina's eyes were lined with worry, wet with tears.

"I can't believe you're alive … the Elders finally found you …"

Senel got to his feet, seeing Ramirez and Galcian battling with the Arcadians Fina had allied herself with. Eyes wide, Senel noticed the youth in blue pitting blade on blade against Ramirez, who attacked ruthlessly and systematically. He guessed sheltered little Rami was more at home fighting swordsmen who had no formal military training.

The man in the long red coat had a pistol, and was shooting alternatively at Ramirez and Galcian, throwing in the occasional ice spell. The redheaded girl with the braids and an oversized bladed boomerang provided backup support with different Lunar magic, the most useful being the Green and Silver ones.

Fina still stood by Senel, rather awe—or dumb—struck. Senel tightened his bracers, preparing to help the youth wearing the blue jacket.

"Fina, back me up."

The Silvite woman nodded, stepping a ways back so as to be out of the line of fire. Her familiar, a little shape-shifting creature of Silver origin, floated around her head.

As Senel snuck around the battleground still slick with films of ice, trying to get close to Galcian, he heard Fina invoke the Moons:

"Moons, grant us thy blessing!"

Immediately Senel felt the effects of the spell—his limbs surged with newfound power, his eres brimming.

Once he maneuvered behind Galcian, Senel knelt and delivered a low sweeping kick, getting Galcian to fall forward. The oversized sword Galcian wielded clattered away on the floor. In a lightning-quick fashion, Senel wrenched the Admiral's arms behind his back, one of his feet pressing against Galcian's back.

Senel concentrated, but the Silver power of his crystal wasn't coming to him. He couldn't cast any spells. By this time Ramirez saw what Senel had done to Galcian, and with wild abandon he yelled, charging right for him—

Senel wasn't thinking straight, but when Ramirez came charging at him, sword poised to stab, Senel at the very last moment threw himself to the side, out of harm's way.

A deafening silence prevailed.

Ramirez stood, stunned. His sword was stuck to the hilt in the back of his very own lord Galcian. Dark red blood seeped out from underneath Galcian's body.

Ramirez fell to his knees, jaw laxly open. He yanked his sword from Galcian's body, throwing it aside. He threw himself at his lord Admiral, screaming,

"_No!"_

Without warning Ramirez's Silver crystal began to shine, silver blue needles quickly forming in midair—

"Oh, no …" Senel whispered, terrified.

The redhead girl shouted, "Everyone come here _now!"_

Senel scrambled to his feet, grabbed Fina by the wrist and sprinted to the red-haired woman, hearing the _snick _of the needles as they neared completion in number—

"Eternes!" Ramirez screamed.

Senel instinctively ducked, but the red-haired girl shouted, "Delta Shield!"

A bluish silver, translucent barrier similar to the one Senel had conjured before shrouded every Arcadian and Senel and Fina. The innumerable needles dissolved upon contact with the shield. Senel's jaw went slack. They were granted temporary immunity from Silver magic!

Senel dashed forward, Ramirez's earlier words ringing in his ears:

_Only a Silvite can end the life of another Silvite._

Senel grabbed Ramirez's silver blade, and in one thrust impaled Ramirez through the heart. When Ramirez fell on the dying body of his lord, he smiled, a single tear rolling down his face.

Ramirez's body slowly dissolved, engulfed in a silver light. The light extended to Galcian's body as well, and together they disappeared altogether. The only things that remained of them were Ramirez's sword … and his Silver Moon Crystal.

Senel bent down and picked it up. It shone with a forlorn silvery white light. Closing his hand over it, Senel turned to the Arcadians.

"It's over."

Senel did not remember much of Ramirez, but it still stung to strike down someone he'd known in his childhood, and a fellow Silvite at that. Sighing, he sat down, head hanging low.

His voice was barely audible. "Thank you for help. Your world … is no longer in danger."

The youth dressed in blue opened his mouth as if to say something to Senel, but the redheaded woman stopped him, a hand on his arm. Reluctantly the youth's gaze dropped down, and he turned to the exit. The redheaded woman and the man in the red coat followed suit.

Only Fina remained, rooted to the spot as she stared after Senel.

Senel looked up at her, and his heart ached when he saw the tears rolling down her face. He wanted to comfort her, but didn't have the faintest idea how. They had known one another in childhood, but they were completely different people now.

They were absolute strangers.

Fina broke the fragile silence.

"What are you going to do now?" she asked, her voice low.

Senel sighed, squeezing Ramirez's Silver Moon Crystal. He'd been thinking about that for a long time, and he knew what his answer would be. This world and the Great Silver Shrine was too foreign, too alien for his own liking. He missed his own world, back with Will, Shirley, Stella, Chloe, and everyone else …

"I'm … going to return the planet on which I lived before the Elders found me. The world where I grew up."

Fina's hands clenched into fists at her sides. "And … you're just going to abandon the Elders? Abandon the Shrine?"

_Abandon me?_

Senel stood, the silver crystal in his hand pulsing, as if the heart of its owner resided there. His own head began to hurt; he felt a headache coming on. Eyes narrowing, Senel tore the gold circlet from his head and threw it to the ground.

Fina stared, jade green eyes wide as it clattered across the floor.

"I … am no Silvite!" Senel shouted, the hand holding the crystal shaking as he tightened his grip on it. "I'm no Ferines, no Orerines, and I'm sure as hell not a damn Silvite either!"

He didn't mean to get angry, or to insult Fina or the Elders, but the anger Senel had kept bottled up the entire time exploded and he couldn't stop it. He turned to Fina, whose hands were clapped over her mouth in immense shock.

"What were you going to do?" Senel demanded. "Return to the Shrine? Surely you don't want to spend the rest of your life cooped up in some space colony with a bunch of old men who should've died long ago!"

Fina still couldn't speak. Senel inhaled deeply, trying to calm down. When he spoke this time, his voice was much softer.

"I'm just me. My own self. No one has any right to dictate who I am. I have … to stop pretending to be someone I'm not."

He looked at Fina. She still couldn't speak. For someone who was raised on the Shrine, hearing the Elders' ancient Silvite beliefs for as long as she could remember, this must be a very radical idea indeed.

"How about you, Fina? What will you do now?"

Fina opened her mouth to speak, but an entirely different voice echoed throughout the room. With a start Senel dropped Ramirez's Silver crystal, and he recognized the voices—

"Pity. It seems the Silver Civilization really has met its end. Very well. All must return to the nothingness from which it was birthed. Senel, go to Zelos."

"Elders!" Fina shrieked. "No, Senel, don't do it! The Elders will call the Rains!"

But Senel couldn't move. Not of his own accord, anyway. He tried not to, but as if he were a mere puppet with a puppeteer pulling the strings, Senel picked up Ramirez's crystal, and turned toward the sealed Silver Gigas—Zelos.

Senel spoke through gritted teeth, trying to fight the impossible hold the Elders seemed to have on him. How the hell could they do that, take control of someone from the Great Silver Shrine?

"You … promised!" Senel screeched, inching toward the altar that contained Zelos. Funny how a sphere only four feet in diameter could contain so much power …

"You promised you'd save Auldrant! I promised Tear I would!"

Elder Prime's grave voice echoed throughout the room.

"Never fear, young Senel. We'll do that first, and after that, Arcadia as well as ourselves will return to our initial state of nothingness …"

The Great Silver Shrine was right beneath the Silver Moon. If the Elders called the Rains from every Moon, the Shrine would be eradicated in the line of fire. Tear, Kratos, Lloyd, and Yuan were still there … !

"Kratos, Tear, get the hell outta there!" Senel screamed, his hand extending toward the Silver Gigas.


	29. Into the Deep

Hikaru: Grr. Last time I joined with Lloyd in ToW: RM, he was level fifteen and kept dying fifty thousand times. But now that I get to duel him, he's all of a sudden super strong? SO UNFAIR!

--

Kratos ran as fast as he was able throughout the Shrine, trying to find the doors to Lloyd, Tear and Yuan's rooms. All the doors were identical, and Kratos kept running into empty rooms, finding neither hide nor hair of his companions. The Devlin was still docked at the far end of the Shrine, so the escape route was more or less secure, but …

"Kratos!"

Kratos turned, and his eyes went wide, his jaw slack. Running toward him on the bottom of the Shrine was none other than Hoseia. But how? He had stayed behind on planet Melfes! What was going on?

Hoseia halted before Kratos, panting as if he had run a marathon. His glasses slipped down his face and he carelessly shoved them back in place.

"K-Kratos … we've gotta get out of here. The Elders, they're going to call the Rains of Destruction! Right now the Shrine's orbit has it right in front of the Silver Moon, and if moonstones fall from it, we're finished."

Kratos clenched his fists, panic seizing his heart.

"But … there are still people here! Tear, Yuan a-and Lloyd! I haven't been able to find them yet!"

Hoseia stared at him, his mouth stretched in a long, thin line. "You're joking. You don't know where the Elders put them?"

Kratos glared at the lightning elemental. "They kept all of us locked in our respective rooms. How the hell could we have gotten out?" Messing with ancient technology from another planet never was a good idea, so Kratos before had to stay put.

"And they just now unlocked your room?"

Kratos nodded. "Yes. I knew what the Elders were up to, and Senel took too long to return …"

So the Elders unlocked the doors for Kratos. Well, it was rather like them, Hoseia thought. This involved Arcadians only, and the Silvite Elders planned to destroy every living thing on planet Arcadia, and by extension, everything orbiting it. Auldrantians and Aselians and so on had nothing to do with it.

"Dammit!" Hoseia cursed. He'd never been to the inner parts of Soltis, let alone the Great Silver Shrine, and he had no idea how Silvite buildings were laid out, never mind how they functioned! He was used to dealing with Yelite stuff, buildings and such powered by electricity, a realm of science he understood. With Silvite technology he had no idea where to begin.

Hoseia breathed in deeply. Okay, calm down. Each Civilization's technology emerged and built up according to what kind of energy their Moon provided. Yellow with electricity, Red with heat, and so on and so forth. So, Silver … had power over the void, which is nothing and essentially everything.

Hoseia stared at one of the doorways leading to a room, thinking. The rooms were somewhere inside the Shrine … and the way to get to them was going through those portal doors … making it impossible to detect forms of life within them since the rooms themselves were probably tucked away deep in the Shrine. The prospect was very frightening.

Hoseia began to pace, trying to think, his eyes never leaving the immense blue planet below them. He inhaled deeply.

"Okay. Kratos, you were on Arcadia during the Inter-Stellar War."

"I've never been inside Soltis—" Kratos began, but Hoseia cut him off, shouting, "We'll have to figure something out, Kratos, unless you want everything on Arcadia dead and we along with it!"

Kratos promptly shut up.

Hoseia massaged his temple, as if he could somehow coax the answer to this predicament out of hiding. "Okay. Okay. Reno and Nievia went with Jay to the inner parts of Soltis in Deep Sky. They'll make it. They'll make it." He kept repeating the last part in a hushed mantra, breathlessly thrusting out the words.

"H-have the Elders begun to … ?" Kratos dared ask, his voice unsettled.

"The Elders wouldn't have unlocked your room unless they took over Senel. Forcibly taking control of another Silvite's body via his Silver Moon Crystal is a radical technique that went unused before now. The target Silvite could easily fight it off, but Senel … is a newborn Silvite, so to speak. He doesn't know how to control his own crystal, let alone fight it. Since the Elders don't like getting interlopers involved in Arcadian affairs, they should have unlocked the other rooms, too. Let's get a move on." Hoseia said, briskly walking down the shrine bottom toward a working portal door.

Reluctantly Kratos followed, his gaze constantly at the omniscient Silver Moon above.

--

In the darkness he could see nothing. Even he, a Derines, descendant of the Darkite people of Arcadia, was totally and utterly blinded in the outer parts of Soltis submerged in Deep Sky.

A fist lightly bounded off his head.

"Ow," Jay rubbed his head, and shot in the darkness, "What the hell was that for?"

Reno's impassioned voice echoed in the deep Silvite hallway.

"For screwing up the teleport the first time."

Nievia as usual, said nothing, preferring instead to keep moving forward.

Jay was loath to admit it, but he did in fact mess up the teleportation to Soltis. The conditions should have been perfect in theory, but the one thing they couldn't recreate was the vast lost technology of Soltis. They didn't even have a moonstone save the dark one Hoseia gave Jay.

The instant they arrived in Arcadia, they ended up on the outer shelf of Dangral Island, the island built by the Yelite descendants to reach Soltis, so Hoseia said. Jay didn't think much of it, but evidently Reno did. Hoseia left them, taking the Silvite ship docked at the island (presumably Senel's) to reach the Great Silver Shrine to get to Kratos and the others.

Dangral was right over Soltis, and the elevator led into the beginnings of the inner sanctions of the huge continent. True, the elevator did take a while to go so far down, so perhaps that was why Reno was so ticked off.

A burst of immensely cold air told Jay that Nievia had stopped walking. Jay could feel the heat radiating from Reno behind him.

"This … reminds me of the time when we were to infiltrate Soltis."

Jay's jaw went slack. Nievia … spoke! She usually didn't take part in conversation, preferring instead to remain coldly silent. When she did speak on those rare occasions, she had spoken icily, her lovely voice frosty.

But just now her voice bore no traits of the hollow frigidity that usually misted over it.

Reno scoffed, and Jay could imagine him folding his arms.

"Yeah. Those damned Darkite bastards tricked us! All of us."

Jay frowned, and although Reno might not have been able to see the action, the elemental realized what he had said by extension about Jay.

"Ah, sorry …"

Jay shook his head. "Don't mention it. What's this about Darkites tricking you?"

Nievia took up the mantle.

"On Old World Arcadia, during the Gigas Wars, the Darkite leaders had intelligence that the Silvite Elders had plans to call down the Rains of Destruction. The Darkites informed the Red, Green, Yellow, and Purple Empires of the plan, and assassins were chosen to infiltrate Soltis, namely Reno, Hoseia, and I."

Jay frowned. "What about the Green one?"

Jay could almost see Nievia smile this time. "The Jadites never responded. Once we infiltrated, we were captured by the most powerful Silvite Mages and placed on the migration ship that would later become the Legacy as power sources."

There was silence for a time before Jay stepped forward, clearing his throat.

"We've got to stop the Elders. Let's go!"

--

"Toue Rei Zue Kuroa Ryuo Toue Zue, Kuroa Ryuo Zue Toue Ryuo Neu Rei Ryuo Zue, Va Rei Zue Toue, Neu Toue Ryuo Toue Rei Kuroa, Ryuo Rei Kuroa Ryuo Zue Neu Va Zue Rei … Va Neu Va Rei, Va Neu Va Zue Rei, Kuroa Ryuo Kuroa Neu Tue Neu Va Zue Rei, Rei Va Neu Kuroa Tue Rei Rei …"

Alone. She'd been alone in this tiny room for Yulia knew how long, and it was beginning to get to her. Despite her knowledge of Auldrantian Dawn Age technology, it did her no good here, where she was immersed in the lost technology of an entirely different planet.

Tear sang the Grand Fonic Hymn as many times as she could without losing her voice, for the song brought back memories of her family and friends back on Auldrant. They were all huddled up somewhere in the Yulian underground cities, while the surface of the planet was in apocalyptic turmoil.

The person this song reminded her of the most was a certain red-haired young noble, only just recently returned to her after she spent so much time waiting for him …

The monitor screen in her room flickered on, and a familiar voice called her:

"Tear, are you there?"

Tear turned around, and the person onscreen was the young man the Elders had held hostage … Lloyd. Kratos's son. Kratos's boy.

"Y-yes, I'm here … what is it?"

Lloyd cleared his throat. He looked nervous. "I just called to my dad, and he's not there. I don't know what's going on, but we've gotta find him! You with me?"

"Yes." Tear said immediately. She was tired of waiting around for salvation to come to her. Just as she had preserved the civilization of her home planet before, she would do it again.

The screen flickered off and Tear promptly found the portal door to be very much in working order.

Wait for me, Luke.

--

Hikaru: Really short, I know. Sorry! It's eight o'clock at night, and I haven't eaten dinner yet … plus I need to plan out the rest of the happens in the next few chapters. Later!


	30. Savior

Hikaru: Late again! Argh! Sorry, things have been a little hectic with this week being Halloween week and all … I fell behind in my homework, but between schoolwork I've been writing the chapters on paper …

--

"Incremus!"

Jay felt the Red Lunar energy flow from the huge spell crest, entering his body with a flood of warmth, something quite welcome here in the frozen pit of Deep Sky.

The pair of silver combat androids, about half the height of an average person with a round body and shell, sped across the smooth white floor, hovering a few inches off the ground.

Nievia stopped one dead in its tracks by conjuring a smallish pillar of ice to impale the machine, while Reno was content using his Red magic to destroy his android. Red light and heat flared, blasting the thing away, blackening the walls and floor.

Jay led the way onward, moving deeper and deeper into Soltis. The place was so very huge on the inside—Jay knew they were moving inside a continent, but this place was so much more difficult to navigate than anything Jay had faced so far. Even the mazes of the Forest of No Return and the Mirage Palace paled in comparison.

Atrunae loped ahead, visible to none except Jay. Tied to one another by the blood that made t hem Darkite descendants, they mastered telepathic communication some time ago.

'More androids are on the way … oh no. One of them has a Silver moonstone embedded in its shell.'

Jay stepped on warp pad, and he and the elementals were teleported to the next shelf below them in this tower like room. Dagger at the ready, Jay followed his shadow galf.

'Is that bad?' he asked.

Atrunae bounded back toward Jay, the androids in hot pursuit.

'That android is programmed to use the moonstone to cast Silver magic. Be careful. Eterni is not the most pleasant of spells.'

Jay turned to Reno and Nievia. The android with the Silver moonstone was easiest to spot among its fellows; the moonstone in its shell was shining an almost obscene amount of white.

"Take out the one with the Silver moonstone. It may use Silver magic."

The elementals knew exactly what to do. Reno conjured a blade of fire and lashed at the android unit, its shell glowing red hot upon contact. The other androids were warped by the searing heat and tottered off the shelf to their doom so far below.

Nievia in a lightning-quick motion enveloped the remaining android in a mound of ice, and the casing cracked, the red-hot particles interfering with the ice-cold energies entering it.

Jay rushed to the downed android, slipping slightly on the film of ice that was left over form Nievia's Purple magic.

Jay took the machine in his arms, jamming his knife blade underneath the now vulnerable shell. Calling his iron eres, he shattered the shell completely, and the Silver moonstone clattered to the floor. Jay tossed the dismantled machine off the shelf and pocketed the Silver moonstone.

"I think we're in the inner sanctions of Soltis now." Nievia said, her tone a little uncertain.

"How so?" Jay asked, turning toward her.

Nievia examined the huge tower like room, the ceiling and floor stretching so far above and below. She nodded.

"The areas here look unfamiliar, and we've come quite a long way down."

Reno dashed forward, his braid flying in his wake.

Nievia and Jay followed suit.

"Senel—hang on!"

--

Not long after Tear left her room, she met Lloyd, Kratos's son. Immediately she noticed the two one-handed swords belted to his waist. So Lloyd could fight. Well, she ought to have expected at least that much from Kratos's son.

"So," she said, approaching Lloyd. "Do you have any idea where to start looking?"

Lloyd glanced to and fro—the Great Silver Shrine was enormous; its bottom on which they stood had an all-encompassing horizon, with innumerable pathways and portal doors branching off to unseen parts of the building.

The blue planet Arcadia was below them, and the Silver Moon above. Tear didn't like the way it seemed to shine ominously.

"Well, they've gotta be on the bottom of the Shrine somewhere if they're not in their rooms." He paused, as if struck with inspiration.

"Hey, Tear. You know magic, right?"

Tear nodded, yes. She still was quite used to thinking of her fonic artes as "magic" …

"In a manner of speaking. Why?"

"Send a flare up or something. They'll see it." Lloyd's voice absolutely reeked with enthusiasm.

Tear wondered if Lloyd was always like this. She looked at the vast expanse of horizon that belonged to the Great Silver Shrine. Warily, she drew out her staff, chanted a verse under her breath, and raised her staff—an orb flew upward, radiating a fierce sea blue.

"That should last for a while," Tear said.

They've advertised themselves. Now they must wait.

--

Electricity came to him as easily as if he'd been born into it. He knew the complex workings of the element as well as he knew himself.

Pity Silvite technology didn't respond well to an electric charge of any kind.

Yuan stood before the door that led into the Chamber of the Elders, the Silver spell crest shining on the obsidian backdrop. He'd just crossed the Path of Emptiness after being freed from his own room, intending to solve the problem at its source. After all, what to do with a rotten plant than to cut off the roots?

All that stood in his way now was that infernal door. Tentatively Yuan called to his hand an electric charge, placing his palm flat on the crest.

Nothing happened.

"Dammit!" Yuan hissed, banging the door with a fist.

It seemed he really would need a Silver moonstone to get inside, or else a Silvite. But the only Silvites close at hand were the Elders locked up in their cozy little chamber …

There was no way Yuan would attempt to go to Arcadia; Silver moonstones were far too scarce there. And since it seemed the Elders kept no Silver moonstones here on the Shrine (as if they needed to!), the only other place to get some would be …

"The Silver Moon itself." Yuan muttered irately.

He knew his ship the Devlin was still docked at the edge of the Shrine, and that the Silver Moon was easily accessible to a spaceship of the very best Cruxis caliber.

The problem would be time, and the whereabouts of the others. If the Elders were indeed what Kratos said they were, the unlocking of the rooms belonging to non-Arcadians meant that they already had Senel in their feeble, old hands. But the Elders promised to save Auldrant, so there must still be a little time left …

"All right," Yuan said, turning away from the Chamber of the Elders, back to the Path of Emptiness. It would be hell to maneuver backward down the floating, winding paths with their very own artificial gravitational pull, but Yuan knew he had no other choice left to him.

"Sit tight, Elders," Yuan sneered over his shoulder.

"I will be back."

--

Hoseia grabbed Kratos's shoulder, pointing up into the emptiness of outer space.

"Look. What's that?"

Kratos looked toward outer space, easily visible from where they stood on the bottom of the Shrine. An orb hovered a little ways off the horizon, shimmering a pleasant aqua blue.

Kratos's lips parted, the only sign of surprise he would give.

"That's … Tear's rescue flare."

A smile spread on Hoseia's lips.

"Tear is intelligent. She more or less knows what's going on."

He adjusted his glasses, the blue light glaring off the lens.

"The question," Hoseia continued cryptically, "is whether or not she is alone."

Kratos gave Hoseia a strange look.

"You … knew?"

"About your son?" Hoseia asked. "Yes. When I met Yuan, he often spoke about you and your family."

Another flash of light met their eyes, this time at the center of the Shrine, where rested the warp pad that led within the Shrine, the way to the Elders.

Looking affronted stood Yuan, arms folded across his chest.

"Oh." He said, his expression lightening a little.

"Good timing. I was just going to the Silver Moon."

Kratos raised an eyebrow, looking at Yuan as if he had gone crazy by the way of suggesting that he adopt a dancing potato to be Lloyd's brother.

"The Silver Moon?" he repeated incredulously. "For what purpose?"

Yuan approached them, his turquoise eyes reflecting anger. The sight rather reminded Kratos of the Raging Nerifes on MelFes.

"It's more productive to solve a problem at its source, correct? I need a Silver Moonstone to get to the Elders, and the only place I can get one is the Silver Moon itself."

Hoseia nodded in approval.

"That would be best. I already sent able people to stop Senel from approaching the Silver Gigas—but making certain the Elders can't pull Senel's strings is important as well."

Kratos shook his head vigorously. "Tear and Lloyd are still here."

"You stay here, then. Let's go, Hoseia."

Hoseia gave Kratos an apologetic look before walking off toward the Devlin with Yuan. He felt bad for leaving Kratos behind, but no doubt Yuan needed another hand to operate the Devlin in extracting Silver moonstone fresh from its moon.

Since the Moons had no hospitable atmosphere for people, Yuan would use a crane, or any other extendable appendage of the spaceship.

The Devlin was quite a roomy ship, Hoseia would admit. Yuan led the way down the main hallway, its paneling smooth white, similar to the Silvite buildings but not quite the same.

Upon reaching the bridge, Yuan seated himself into the pilot's chair, and Hoseia the co-pilot's. Yuan settled easily into the ship's controls. Hoseia examined them closely.

"Interesting. Instead of using grooves to guide energy directly to perform a function, Cruxis technology uses numbers and other mathematical computations to carry out tasks."

Yuan rubbed his temple, a sure sign of irritation.

"Just … help me pilot; don't gawk at it!"

Reluctantly Hoseia leaned back in his chair.

--

Kratos watched the Devlin take off before turning toward the floating orb of blue light. Its radiance was wearing off. If Tear stayed in one place under the light, Kratos must hurry. Instead of running across the Shrine, other means would be faster.

Kratos called his wings, and they unfurled from his back, shining their azure light. Hovering, Kratos sped toward the dying flare Tear sent, the light dimming with each passing second, but beautiful all the same.

Within minutes Kratos made quite a distance, and with his sharp angelic sight saw the two people he'd been looking for—Tear and Lloyd.

They were conversing quite amiably, Lloyd with his trademark smile, and Tear stoic like always, although she seemed a tad warmer than usual.

Kratos breathed a sigh of relief. They were safe.

Tear saw him as he flew toward them.

"Kratos!" She exclaimed.

In a flash of light the wings were gone, and Kratos stood before them.

"We must leave the Shrine. The Elders are going to use Senel to call the Rains."

Tear's eyes hardened, sea blue eyes freezing to winter tundra. Her thin frown was prominent and angry. Kratos felt a pang of guilt. Tear had suffered through so much, all for the sake of her home planet, and there was a chance the Elders would betray her.

"They promised," she hissed in a low voice. "They promised!"

"T-Tear—" Lloyd began, but the hymnist cut him off midsentence.

"Those self-righteous bastards promised to save Auldrant! I thought they would! They kept their promise," Tear waved her hand toward a bewildered Lloyd, "to give you your son back! Why can't they keep their word to me?"

Kratos never averted his gaze. He looked Tear in the eye.

"I'm sorry." He said truthfully. "I do not think the Elders would call the Rains before keeping their word to you. It goes against Silvite belief to involve other worlders in their affairs."

A long silence passed, wherein Tear regained her usual cool demeanor.

In a gentle voice, Kratos said softly, "Yuan has gone to the Silver Moon to obtain a moonstone to unlock the Elders' Chamber."

Lloyd's eyes widened in shock.

"We're … going to stop the Elders by force?"

Kratos nodded. "Yes. By now there's no alternative. We cannot reach Senel."

It was decided that they would head to the center of the Shrine bottom to await Yuan and Hoseia's return from their little expedition to the Silver Moon. Above them the Moon glowed ominously.

--

Hoseia was having immense difficulty breathing. He panted as if he had run a marathon, his hands shaking as they latched onto his dashboard in a death grip. The Silver Moon loomed in the distance, becoming ever closer with each second.

Hoseia gulped the lump in his throat.

"What is the matter with you?" Yuan snarled, severely annoyed.

A bead of sweat slid down Hoseia's face.

"You are not Arcadian, so it'd be difficult for you to understand, but … the Moons orbiting Arcadia, all the Moons, are sacred to us. It is thanks to the Moons that who bless our lands with their stones that we can live on Arcadia. To actually land on a Moon and take a stone directly from it … is the ultimate heresy." Hoseia's voice grew feebly weak.

Yuan groaned.

"Why the hell did you come along, then?"

"Which is better," Hoseia said, mouth dry, "the ultimate heresy, or the ultimate destruction of Arcadia?"

Yuan considered for a few moments, a broad, wry smile slowly spreading on his face.

"Heh, good point."

Hoseia stared out the triply reinforced spaceship window that allowed one to see in the front, left, and right widely in outer space. The Sliver Moon was quite close now; Yuan was preparing to planet fall. The Moons had atmospheres, but nothing too strong for a ship like the Devlin.

To land even on the Moon of a land different from the place of his origin … Hoseia had to get over his fear of desecrating the ultimate Arcadian holy ground. Hoseia was an Old Arcadian, of a world that no longer existed. New World Arcadia had no place for those like Hoseia. Surely since he was ripped from his world and the Moons he held dear …

Why should he or the Moons care if he stood upon the most holy of grounds now?

Yuan input a number of commands as the barren wasteland of the Silver Moon came closer.

"Preparing for landing." Yuan murmured over his holographic keyboards.

Hoseia took in a deep breath.

"Moons forgive me …"

Yuan rolled his eyes.

The Moon was a wasteland, composed entirely of the stuff that made up the powers of the Silver moonstone that was so scarce on Arcadia. With such large concentration of moonstone on the Moon, the power of the void was abundant.

On any of the other Moons, the Green Moon would be most hospitable. Hoseia thought it likely that people might be able to live on the life supporting Green Moon. The Red Moon was a white-hot, smoldering thing that could never be inhabited …

Same could be said of the Purple Moon with its power over ice. The Blue Moon had powers of wind and water, so Hoseia imagined a very wet, very windy Moon. The Dark Moon, with its power of time and space, would likely dump someone in an alternate dimension …

Lastly, the Yellow Moon would be a storm of violent electricity; even Hoseia would probably be killed in that most fierce of thunderstorms.

"Landing," Yuan announced, and the ship vibrated upon contacting the Silver ground. Yuan rapidly typed in more keystrokes. "Scanning for usable moonstone."

Hoseia typed in his own keyboard, and on another monitor, a grappling arm came unsheathed from the Devlin's port side.

Yuan smirked.

"There's a batch of moonstone just a little ways off there."

Hoseia commanded the grappling arm, moving it where Yuan specified. Within a few minutes the arm grabbed hold of the ore, a sizable one, and pulled it aboard the ship.

"Silver moonstone acquired." Hoseia said tonelessly.

And he collapsed back in his chair, not quite believing he had just helped a foreigner defile the Silver Moon.

--

Kratos noticed that Hoseia was a little shaky and pale, but he said nothing as Yuan triumphantly presented the Silver Moonstone in his palm.

The ragtag group composed of Aselians, an Auldrantian and Old World Arcadian entered the Shrine, and stood on the beginnings of the Path of Emptiness. As they crossed the path, a booming voice rang throughout the Shrine, and Kratos recognized it as Elder Prime:

"Defilers of that which is most sacred to the Silvites! You have raped the holy ground of the Silver Moon stolen its blessing!"

Hoseia was now having a full-out panic attack; he clutched at his chest, his eyes wide frantic with fear, heaving his breath as if on the verge of death. Lloyd looked alarmed at this, and Tear covered her mouth in shock.

Kratos had to admit he was a little frightened.

"Very well. After the salvation of Auldrant, you heretics will perish with all else in the Rains!"

Yuan's wings flowered from his back, shining a lilac purple, and Kratos donned his blue wings just before the Path of Emptiness, suspended in midair, abruptly broke apart, the artificial gravity gone as they had the paths.

Those without wings floated about confused. Yuan and Kratos exchanged meaningful looks.

Hoseia tossed the Silver moonstone to Kratos, and he caught it as it slowly drifted toward him. The lightning elemental pointed to the obsidian hexagonal prism chamber that remained somehow stationary.

"The Elders!" he shouted, "Go!"

Without another word, Kratos and Yuan flew off.

--

Fina did the unexpected and extraordinary. Throwing herself before Senel, between him and the altar that contained Zelos, Cupil morphed into a sword and she stood, brandishing it at Senel.

"Fina," Senel said with strain; the Elders' hold on him was oppressive.

"I can't allow the Elders to do this," Fina held her ground, her Cupil blade gleaming sharply. Senel was painfully reminded of Ramirez.

"Fina, let me go," Senel pleaded, his voice cracking.

Fina's eyes went wide in disbelief.

"I have to save Auldrant. Let me do that," Senel hastily explained, "and then you can do with me as you like."

Bowing her head, Fina stepped aside, but she slipped her hand in Senel's, the one where the Silver crystal was hidden. She felt its power throbbing like a heart.

Immediately Senel felt lighter, the burden not so heavy on his shoulders anymore by the Elders' possession.

"Now the Elders will have a harder time with you."

Senel smiled briefly at her, and when he placed his hand on the crystal pyramid that contained Zelos, an image flashed in his mind's eye—

Cradled in the sea of stars, swathed in rings seven layers deep of different colors was a huge blue planet. The blue of the planet was dark, menacing, covered in blackened clouds sparkling with blue jets of lightning in a perpetual thunderstorm.

Senel's eyes went wide.

From so far up in space it looked so small—it must be hell down there!

Senel thought of the fon belt, and he saw a close-up of the seven-layer belt—and within the colored rings there was a profound disruption.

A huge asteroid, glimmering gold with lightning dancing all over—Senel gasped. It was a piece of the Yellow Moon.

Senel needn't ask how it got there. Undoubtedly it was detached from its Moon after the Elders first called the Rains of Destruction and after it was launched into space, it drifted until it wound up here in Auldrant's fon belt. Not only did it mess up the fon belt, its energy caused the lands below to behave much like the Valuan continent on Arcadia.

Senel concentrated on the asteroid from the Yellow Moon. In his mind's eye, the moonstone began to glow silver. Slowly, the asteroid began to disintegrate, the huge rock dissolving into nothingness.

The swirling Valua-like black clouds stopped, and lightning disappeared. The layers of the fon belt corrected themselves.

Senel sighed.

Auldrant was saved.

--

"Senel!"

Jay rushed into the altar room, dagger ready. With a jolt he registered the sight of Senel standing at the Silver Gigas and the female Silvite with a hand on Senel's arm. She held a silver sword in her right hand.

As if recognizing Jay's voice, Senel tore himself from the Gigas—and the female Silvite swung at him.

Jay, all the breath gone from him, fell to his knees, his knife clattering down beside him.

Blood splattered at Senel's feet, and he pressed a hand against his side in an effort to stop the bleeding. Staggering, he fell to the ground, his elegant Silvite garb soaked in dark blood.

Meanwhile the female Silvite lay a ways from Senel, her sword morphing into a small round creature of silver.

Senel coughed, and small crimson droplets flew.

"F-Fina … ?"

The Silvite remained silent.

"Fina!" Senel shouted.

Reno and Nievia rushed in the room, horrified when they saw the scene.

Slowly the Silvite Fina stirred, and Senel breathed a small sigh of relief. Jay tilted his head to one side, confused. Fina had just attacked him—why did Senel find comfort in her safety?

Regaining his nerve, Jay stood, grabbing his knife as he dashed to Senel. Senel smiled sheepishly up at him.

"It's not deep. More like a paper cut."

Nonetheless Jay inspected the wound anyhow.

The cut indeed wasn't deep, and even the bleeding wasn't so bad, either. Puzzled, Jay looked to Fina's unconscious body. Her chest slowly rose and fell, and indication of life.

So the blow wasn't meant to kill.

"What did she do?" Jay demanded.

Senel stared into space, blinking.

The words came to him slowly.

"The Elders were possessing me … and after Fina cut me, their presence was gone …"

And Fina had also been blown away. Beside Jay came Atrunae's voice.

'Fina forcefully broke the telepathic connection the Elders exerted over Senel. The recoil of the released Silver energy threw her back.'

Jay sighed. Nievia and Reno approached Fina, making certain she really was well.

"At least she's alive." Jay said. They were all alive. What's more, the Elders, even when they forcefully possessed Senel, failed to call the Rains of Destruction once more.

After Jay administered a few gels to Senel's minute wound, he stood.

"Let's go. The Devlin will take us from Dangral."

Senel got to his feet, taking his leave. He never looked back; Reno and Nievia hurried after him, carrying the unconscious Fina.

Jay glanced about the room. The Moon Crystals were still there. He thought better of disturbing them. As he turned to leave, something on the ground caught his eye. It was a gold circlet, engraved with Silvite runes. Jay stared at it for a few moments.

Jay left the inner sanctions of Soltis.

--

Kratos used the Silver Moonstone to open the door to the Elders' Chamber. The Great Silver Shrine had stopped shaking, and Kratos, if not Yuan, began to worry.

The two ex-Cruxis angels flew into the Chamber, and their jaws dropped at the scenario.

"What … happened?" Yuan asked, hovering over the limp, cold bodies of the Elders.

Every single one of them was lying on the ground, cold, still, stiff, motionless.

Dead.


	31. Day of Diplomacy

Hikaru: I'm sorry! The next chapter will be delayed for a bit … Someone threw out my rough drafts that I already wrote on paper … sigh.

--

Circles were friendly geometric shapes, round and pleasant, unlike hexagons or pentagons with their roundabout sharp edges and other shapes like that. Another wonderful thing about circles was that everything stood equally inside that circle.

Just like on this fine morning at the Altar of the Sea, on the coral shelf overlooking the beautiful blue ocean. The sun had only just risen, and the way its light poured on the surface of the ocean made it sparkle like diamonds.

Everyone stood in a circle. Shirley, Maurits, Walter and Stella representing the Ferines, Will and the Holy Sovereign of Rexalia, Pippo, Mippo, and Quppo of the Oresoren, Orion Augustus Bolud, his wife, one guard for Crusand, Queen Ovelia, Agrias and Larsa of Ivalice, and finally His Majesty Kestrel Craig, his wife, and Chloe as standing guard for the Gadorian leaders.

It took weeks of preparation, but the Day of Diplomacy was finally here. The Altar of the Sea was chosen for the place of treaty signing because this was a day to declare peace between Orerines and Ferines once and for all. Nerifes had dealt away with the rage the previous Merines left it with, now the Ferines and Orerines had to follow suit.

But all Chloe could focus on was whether or not Senel was ever coming back. Hoseia had said he'd guarantee Senel's safe return, but Chloe still had her doubts. Come to think, she hadn't seen him or the other elementals lately.

Maurits spoke but never left his place beside Shirley in the circle.

"We are gathered here to sign a document, a treaty, pertaining both the will of Nerifes, our own, and yours to forge an everlasting peace between our peoples so never again will we have to resort to such distasteful racial wars as happened four thousand years ago and almost happened recently. It is true; it is difficult not to dwell on the past, but we cannot seek a new future while dragging the past along with us."

Everyone nodded around the circle. Even Walter, although it was not a full nod, only a subtle dipping of his chin. Chloe, too, nodded, but with difficulty. Maurits' words really hit home.

_We cannot seek a new future while dragging the past along._

Chloe's mouth dried, her throat becoming tight. For the first time she finally understood how difficult it must be for all Ferines to accept this Day of Diplomacy taking place. She put herself in the shoes of a Ferines, perhaps Fenimore, whose family and friends were all killed by Orerines.

Stingle still had to be somewhere on the Legacy; there was no way he would be allowed on the mainland, not even in Crusand. Crusand's emperor disliked the way his youngest brother behaved, committed all those atrocious acts just to deal a blow to Gadoria.

Stingle had killed her parents right before her eyes when she was a young child … how could she not carry out her revenge?

Tears beaded at her eyes. Chloe Valens was a hypocrite. She had been all along trying to convince Ferines who had suffered just as much as she had, even worse, not to carry out the second Cataclysm, even though they had suffered at the hands of the Orerines.

But Chloe tried so hard to able to forge peace with the Ferines. Not just peace, but trust, trust such as Shirley trusted Senel and vice versa. If one pair of Ferines and Orerines could forge such an unbreakable bond, so could all.

Once Maurits was done speaking, Chloe cleared her throat, asked her king if she had leave to speak. The king nodded, telling her to go ahead.

Chloe stood up straight, her voice confident.

"Peacetime is not the only thing we all need. In order to have a true peace, we also need to trust one another, just as Shirley and Coolidge trusted one another."

Shirley's face tinged pink at the mention of her name, but she looked happy.

"Yes," She agreed, nodding her head. "All things begin with trust. So let this day, the dawn of peace between Orerines and Ferines, begin as such."

Shirley extended her hand, stepping into the circle. The Crusand Emperor, without hesitating, took her hand, shook it firmly. Shirley smiled, going around the circle, shaking hands with each Orerines leader as well as the Oresoren.

It was here that Will, at Lady Musette's side, spoke up.

"I beg your pardon," he began, "but we need to decide how to record this event and the terms of the treaty."

Indeed, Chloe agreed. They couldn't just have a pleasant idealistic chat without putting something on stone. At first Chloe thought that the each people would have recorded the events and terms by their own means, the Orerines in ink on paper, Ferines in Relares on coral stone, and the Oresoren—Chloe blinked. Just how did Oresoren record their history?

This opened a discussion on the how, not just the terms of the peace treaty. It turned out Oresoren recorded their history on flat scallop shells and stored them in giant clam shells with the event's name engraved on it.

The terms were already decided on—the entire Ferines people had migrated from the mainland to the Legacy and already were building settlements around the original Village of the Ferines and used eres to accomplish it, rather reminiscent of the Kingdom of Terises era. Werites Beacon was slowly growing as well, and there was the Oresoren village to consider.

Undoubtedly each peoples' settlements would grow. Boundaries were set around the Legacy in thirds: Orerines had the northern third (save the bow, where the Altar of the Sea was located), Oresoren the middle third beyond Raging Bay, and the Ferines would have the southern third, where the Mirage Palace was located.

As Chloe looked on, she could see what was taking place—the formation of the Legacy as its own unique nation, one comprised of not one, not two, but three races altogether! This was fantastic!

Another topic was brought up: who would officially have the Quiet Lands? It was decided by the Ferines representatives that the Orerines would have it, as it was directly beneath the northern third, not to mention Werites Beacon. Not only that, but the Quiet Lands were known to the Ferines as the Fallen Lands, a place of avoidance.

Thinking of the Quiet Lands made Chloe think of the Monuments, which then made her think of the elementals. It seemed as if they had a way of getting off this planet. If they did, would they leave or stay?

Once the boundaries were set, it was decided that since all three races dwelt on the Legacy, no one race should have power over any other. A government was outlined, based on one of the ancient Orerines people that preceded Rexalia; the ancient Roman people.

A system of checks and balances was set up, along with electoral houses. It was a shocking thing to consider—a nation where no monarchy took place! Chloe looked at each of the leaders, their own nations built upon monarchies. How did they feel about this new republic forming?

After looking at historical records of fallen empires, Orerines and Ferines alike, it was decided that each office would have only two years in a term. For the longer a person, any person, remained in power, the more likely it was that person would become corrupt. The short term in office was to motivate those in office to do something that would truly benefit the new nation.

Once all the details were settled, it was time to officially sign the treaty creating the nation of people aboard the Legacy.

It was Will who came up with the idea.

"Why don't we record this even in eres stones? Using eres, one could record their thoughts, and play them back. Eres stones are incredibly sturdy as well, so we wouldn't need to worry about them eroding."

All the erens in the circle clutched an eres stone, and Will led the recording process, including everything they had discussed.

Once they were finished, the Ferines turned toward the sea, and the others followed suit. A resounding cry filled the air.

"PenDes! Nen Ures OrelNes FelNes! For the new nation of Legendia!"

Chloe didn't know the entire Relares language, but Norma had taught her a bit while they were on their travels. Her eyes brimmed with tears at the words' meaning.

_Stop the destruction. Remember the lives of the Orerines and Ferines._

--

Hikaru: Like the cheesy name of the new nation aboard the Legacy?


	32. Homecoming

Hikaru: I apologize for lateness! I found my rough drafts … and then my mom got me into knitting. Hahah. I cheat, though—I don't use the huge needles; my mom found this product called Knifty Knitting! It allows you to knit using specially shaped plastic looms with pegs. Yay.

--

Things had gotten a little hairy on Arcadia—returning Fina to her Arcadian comrades, explaining to them what had happened to the remaining Elders on the Shrine, but Kratos and Yuan managed to get everyone safely on the Devlin.

It was decided that they would stop by MelFes first, seeing how it was the closest planet to Arcadia. The Devlin touched down on the Legacy near Werites Beacon, and those from MelFes (and planning to stay) were disembarking.

Senel and Jay stepped off the starship, looking over the distant town. It seemed to small from where they stood. Small, and almost foreign, after they'd been gone for what felt like decades. Senel imagined this was how a runaway must feel after finally returning home. It was a bittersweet feeling.

"It's good to be … home." Senel said, the wind ruffling his silvery white hair and bloodied and battle-worn Silvite garb. Jay nodded, not saying anything.

Of course, it was not proper to let the others leave without saying some manner of good-bye, so Senel and Jay followed up on courtesy.

"Tear," Senel said, shaking her hand, "thanks for all you've done for me. I'll never forget you." To think he'd never see any of these people again made his mouth dry up, throat tighten—yet what could be done?

Tear blinked back moisture from her own eyes, and with astonishment Senel realized this was the most emotion he'd ever seen from Tear.

"I'll never forget you, either … neither will Auldrant."

Next Senel took Lloyd's hand.

"I'm glad you're safe." Senel truthfully said, albeit awkwardly.

"Eh … so am I, I guess," Lloyd said sheepishly, his face a light shade of pink.

Senel never really got to know Lloyd or anything about him, save he was the son of Kratos. He was stunned; they seemed so very different. As Lloyd returned to the shadow of the Devlin, Senel noticed Yuan standing about, seemingly waiting for everyone to say their goodbyes.

"Thanks for … piloting?" Senel offered, not quite sure what to say.

Yuan shrugged indifferently. "Ah, whatever."

Senel now turned to face Kratos, the stranger who came upon the shore of the Quiet Lands and started it all.

"Kratos, I have one question."

Kratos seemed to wince, as if expecting Senel to be angry with him. "What is it?"

Senel showed Kratos his left hand.

"How do you take off the Key Crest?"

Chuckling, Kratos showed him how it was done, and Senel thanked him.

"Seriously, Kratos, thank you. You helped me—and the others—so much …"

Kratos sullenly shook his head.

"No, you helped me, sacrificed much to do so. Because of you, I was able to get my son back. That meant the world to me."

Senel was done saying goodbyes (Reno, Nievia, and Hoseia all deigned to stay on MelFes), but there was one thing Jay wanted Kratos to confirm.

Waiting until Senel drew himself away from earshot, Jay approached, and Kratos turned to greet him.

"I understand you know something of my family history."

Kratos's jaw worked before anything of speech came out.

"You could say that." His words came out hesitantly, uneasily.

Maintaining his coolness, Jay said,

"I was born on your home planet, Aselia. I had an older sister, and I was only an infant when my family was torn apart."

Kratos shifted uncomfortably, apparently at a loss for meaningful words.

"How did you … figure that?"

Jay positively beamed, hands comfortable in his pockets.

"Why, I _am_ an information dealer."

Kratos chortled.

"Then you must know. Very well. You came from an Aselian family of summoners, living on the Sylvarantian continent. When the worlds were split, the Cruxis leader wanted none to be able to strip him of power. He ordered his angels to exterminate all who still summoned Spirits in Sylvarant, for the art was lost in Tethe'alla.

"I wanted to stop him, so I took your family to Tethe'alla. For a while your family was safe … and the summoning arts in Tethe'alla revived. Yggdrasill got wind of this and took it upon himself to hunt them down. I could retrieve only your mother and her infant son—you—I took you to Derris-Kharlan and sent you both to the nearest life-supporting planet in a life-sustaining sphere … which turned out to be MelFes."

Silence passed between the two for a time. Jay didn't need to guess much else—Solon and his minions, along with Crusand soldiers, together murdered his mother. That was when Solon had taken Jay under his wing—and Jay had inherited his shadow guardian.

Jay had not expected Kratos to continue.

"Your father died in a monster attack in the Tethe'allan Gaoracchia Forest. But your sister is alive, well, a ninja, summoner, and clan leader all in one."

Kratos genuinely smiled as he said this, and his tone was joyous, almost proud.

Jay's jaw went slack.

"What is … her name?"

"Her name is Sheena Fujibayashi."

--

It was so strange to find himself standing once again in Werites Beacon. The people in town, Rexalian nobles (the noblewoman Kate still had her habit of sneering at people not of Rexalian nobility), Gadorian knights and middle-class (some of the knights still had that disgusting swagger—Senel could scarcely believe they were Chloe's countrymen), and so on gave Senel odd looks, seeing how he was still wearing his Silvite garb.

Senel ignored the boring stares and turned up to Will's house. It had not changed at all in the time he was gone (of course, the most time he'd been gone had been a few weeks at the least), and looking upon it, Senel was overwhelmed with memories of the journey he shared with his former comrades.

Senel had heard from Jay that the Day of Diplomacy had already passed, so Will must be home.

Sighing, Senel knocked on Will's door.

The door opened, and Harriet stepped onto the porch. When she saw Senel she promptly tackled him to the ground.

"Senel! Senel's home! Senel's _home!" _Her voice was shrill, and cracked toward the end of her proclamation. Senel awkwardly patted her head, trying not to disturb the prim hair pinned to her head.

"Er … hey, Hattie. Is Will home?"

Harriet detached herself from Senel, that familiar pout on her face. Senel almost laughed but dared not. She called into the house in a not-so-friendly voice.

"Hey! Will, Senel's back! Senel's BACK!"

Will was a big guy with a big heart, and Senel was expecting a friendly handshake, maybe even a bear hug, but—

_Thwhack!_

The familiar head bonk greeted Senel instead.

"Ow! What did I do?"

Will stood at the threshold, and behind his round spectacles, his eyes were brimming with tears.

Senel fell speechless, not even bothering to rub the forming bump on his head.

"You made us all worry so very much!"

Senel tenderly touched the sizable bump on his head; it wasn't bad. It'd be gone in a matter of time.

"… And that?"

Will nodded, grinning broadly.

"Was your punishment."

Senel couldn't think of anything else to say, but Will looked him over and saw the dried blood and rips and other stains on his Silvite attire.

"You look like hell. Come on in."

-

Will made Senel lay down on the couch, and he inspected any wounds Senel had (the cut on his side was nearly healed), cleaned them and gave him a good dose of healing crystal eres. Harriet came downstairs with a fresh change of clothes, casual wear.

Senel had forgotten he'd left his Alliance Marine uniform on the Great Silver Shrine.

"I don't know exactly where you've been or what you've been doing." Will said, eyeing the otherworldly Silvite garb, "but you could use a change of clothes."

Senel sheepishly took the laundry and headed to the bathroom to change.

The bathroom was roomy, pleasant, and filled with various houseplants. A small window (well away from the bath, mind you) allowed the plants sunlight. The bath was quite roomy, like a little pool and it was gleaming clean.

Holding the clothes Harriet gave him, Senel looked at the tub. Surely Will wouldn't mind if he took a little bath …

Placing the neatly folded laundry on the bathroom counter, Senel started the bath. As it filled with hot water, he gingerly shed the Silvite clothing. Lying on the smooth floor, the clothing shone eerily at him, as if reproaching him for some misdeed.

Ignoring it, Senel lowered himself into the bath, shutting off the water.

The bathroom and living room were near one another, so Senel was a little surprised to hear Will pick up the house phone. Electronic beeps told him Will was calling someone. Probably the others, Senel thought. Norma, Chloe, Moses … well, Moses was a man of nature, so he probably didn't use electronics or anything. Grune was likely wandering about, singing her songs, or planting seeds. The Ferines didn't use electricity, using eres like their ancestors from the Kingdom of Terises had long ago.

To see Shirley and Stella, Senel supposed he would have to go on his own time.

As Senel rubbed shampoo and conditioner through his hair (it had grown coarse), he grimly wondered—Stella or Shirley?

He still loved Stella, there was no question about that … and he had loved Shirley only as a sister—until that scare she gave him when the Raging Nerifes made her its Merines.

Now Senel felt he loved Shirley more than just a sister—hell, he loved them both, each in their own special way.

He rinsed his hair; since Grune had taken the ceramic lion jar, Senel had to duck underwater briefly.

As Senel drained the bath, reaching for a fluffy towel, he thought of when he had lost his soul as a side-effect of the primitive Exsphere Kratos had given him; how on the tram, Stella had held him, how in the Mirage Palace Stella herself had carried his limp body, fending off monsters with her teriques and crystal eres alone.

Stella continually risked life and limb for him.

By then Senel knew to whom he would propose.

--

Will hung up the phone. Chloe was at the inn; she'd been very emotional about the news of Senel's safe return, just as Hoseia had promised. Norma was also at the inn and crabbed about how Senel could've waited, for she had found a solid lead on the Everlight thanks to Shirley.

Moses and Grune were nowhere in Werites. Moses was likely with his buddies in the Forest of No Return, and Nerifes knew where Grune had wandered off to.

Will expected an explanation—any explanation—sometime after reuniting with the others. Those clothes Senel had been wearing—they looked almost tribal, but not in the rural sense of the word.

Just where the hell had he been the whole time he was gone?

Will remembered the elemental—Hoseia's—words. Planet Arcadia, the cradle from which the Ferines and Orerines had sprung so many thousands of years ago, and Senel being an Old Arcadian, a "Silvite." The Rains of Destruction, the Orerines descended from Silvites and Ferines descended from Azurites; the holy wars of the Silvites and Azurites … there was also something about another planet called Auldrant.

Will shrugged.

Senel was safe. That was all that mattered now.

"Harriet?" Will called up the stairs. His daughter came halfway down, scowling at him as she clung to the banister.

Sighing, Will asked,

"I'm going to bring the others to see Senel. Care to join me?"

--

It was strange to be wearing casual clothing again. The change of clothing Harriet brought him must have been some of Will's old clothes: an off-white, baggy T-shirt, black shorts, knee-length like he was used to, and a pair of plain white socks.

He was once more normal, only himself, nothing more, nothing less.

Senel didn't know what to do with his Silvite clothes, so he just put them in an untidy heap in the laundry hamper. He had no idea how Silvites had cleaned their clothes, so that would have to do for now.

Senel exited the bathroom, walking absently into the living room. It was empty with no sign of Will or Harriet. Feeling awkward, Senel sat down on one of the couches, having little else to do. If he left the house, Will would probably hit him upside the head again.

His eyes lingered on the oven nearby, dark and cold. It hadn't been used much lately. He tapped his foot rhythmically on the hardwood floor, thinking. Well, he had made them all worry for the whole time he was gone. If Will was fetching everyone else to come see him, the very least he could do …

--

"Yo! Senny!" Norma sang as she slammed open Will's door, skipping inside as her usual cheerful, bubbly self.

Senel jerked at the sudden noise, almost dropping the stack of small plates he carried to the counter. Setting them down safely, he turned to face Norma, Chloe, Will, Harriet, Moses, and Jay filing inside the house.

Senel half-grinned.

"Glad to see you haven't changed."

Norma looked him over. Immediately Senel felt silly; he was wearing a strawberry pink apron and a small scarf of the same hue around his hair. Norma sighed.

"You sure have some strange tastes, Senny."

Senel frowned crossly.

"Yeah, well, there were no other ones …"

"Coolidge?" Chloe called, and her eyes went wide. The counters were laden with various baked goods—bread, sandwiches, cakes, muffins, cupcakes …

"Did you bake all this?" Chloe asked, awed, and perhaps famished. Senel flushed.

"Yeah, it's not like I can just bum here. I had to do something, especially since you all were coming …" It seemed that it wasn't just Shirley and Stella he would have to see later; it seemed that Will hadn't been able to find Grune.

Moses threw his fist into the air.

"Yee-haw! Now that's what I'm talking about! A feast to welcome our old buddy Senel home!"

He zoomed past Senel and the others, helping himself to a plateful of food. Will went to brew a pot of coffee, heading to the cupboards and cabinets to find the ground coffee beans. Harriet grabbed eating utensils of her own.

Senel leaned on the counter, his eyes and Chloe's unable to meet. Absently he grabbed a yellow cupcake topped off with creamy vanilla icing and rainbow sprinkles. He offered it to Chloe. She took the little cake but did not bite into it.

"I wonder where Grune is …" she mused, eyeing the colorful sprinkles.

Senel shrugged.

"Probably skipping and singing someplace full of flowers."

Silence prevailed. Chloe pulled up a bar stool, sitting at the counter. She licked off a bit of the frosting and brightened up.

"It's good."

Senel pulled up another bar stool, helping himself to a flan cake. Will passed by every so often, presumably to get his coffee pot and enough mugs for everyone sans Harriet, for the girl was too young for coffee drinking. Perhaps decaf would suit.

Senel swallowed his bit of flan cake.

"Sorry."

Chloe's eyes widened, surprised.

"What for?"

"I must have made you all worry, being on another planet and all."

Chloe took another bite out of her cupcake, perhaps to bide time to think of an adequate response. She swallowed.

"It's not your fault. That man—Kratos—was the one who spirited you away." Her voice was full of contempt, perhaps even scorn.

Senel's jaw worked before anything of speech came out.

"I'm … glad he did. I got to help out people, just like you all helped people here. That Day of Diplomacy treaty—did that go well?"

Finished with her cupcake, Chloe started another, this time yellow cake with chocolate icing and a cherry on top.

"Yes, very. As my king's guard I witnessed the whole thing. The leaders here are going underway to make the Legacy its own nation, one with a government based first and foremost on its people."

Chloe went into deeper detail, about the divisions of settlement territory for the Ferines, Orerines, and Oresoren, the outlining of the new government comprising of three races, and last of all, the nations new name of Legendia.

"Huh," Senel said, slicing another piece of flan cake. "That's fitting. Fanciful things of legend did happen here on the Legacy."

Senel bit into his cake, swallowed. In the back of the kitchen he heard Will pouring cups of coffee (most certainly including a decaf for Hattie) and the pouring of creamer as well.

"Did you ever … find Stingle?"

Will came by, and the two of them accepted the mugs he offered. Senel sipped at his, tasting hazelnut creamer. Chloe, too, drank from her mug. Her creamer was a tangy pumpkin spice.

"No … and frankly," she said slowly, "I don't want to rout him out."

Senel raised an eyebrow.

"No?"

Chloe shook her head.

"No. Even if I did kill him, I'd be no better than he. I'd have blood on my hands, too, and it won't bring my parents back." She sighed. "It took me a long time to mull it over, but I'm certain it's the … right choice."

The Day of Diplomacy opened her eyes. If the Ferines were willing to try and at least co-exist with the Orerines, then Chloe could lay down her sword as well. It was difficult, certainly, but Chloe never fancied herself a killer.

Senel clapped a hand on Chloe's shoulder in a comforting, comrades-in-arms way.

"You made the right choice."

Chloe blinked back tears, and they continued to eat in silence.

--

Hikaru: Welcome home, Senel!


	33. The Black Mist

Hikaru: BLARGH. Freaking Megalith mission on Ace Combat 04 is making me angry. I can take out the Yellows no problem, but I can't enter the little crawlspaces without crashing within three seconds of entry.

--

It was the middle of the third week that Senel had been staying with Will. He had nowhere else to go, after all, and he found things to keep him busy; after the treaty, the Legacy had been busy in full swing.

Senel had wanted to visit the Ferines captial village, but it was the busiest of all, and no doubt the Ferines wanted to spend a bit of time with their Merines and her right-hand woman. Not to mention Walter would probably beat him silly if Senel ever got within a ten-mile radius of the village.

Will had sent a message in Senel's name to the village upon the Alliance Marine's return, but no response had been sent. Senel didn't think it below Walter to keep the "junk" mail to himself.

The most curious thing of late was although the Legacy was in a temperate zone, it was cold daily, starting the beginning of the second week of Senel's return. Will had been suspicious of the ice elemental Nievia, but Senel had laid his concerns groundless, seeing how Nievia's power couldn't possibly reach over the whole Legacy. Besides that, she had disappeared, along with her fellows Reno and Hoseia, although they had deigned to stay on the Legacy, on MelFes.

Among the things keeping Senel busy in Werites was the job Will offered him as a monster regulator. Usually on a combat dispatch consisting of some few members of Moses's clan and a few members of the ol' team, Senel had ventured forth and cleared powerful monsters around the Werites area.

He'd noticed that the monsters were getting stronger.

Or perhaps he was simply losing his edge.

Senel was patrolling the Werites region like usual, and although he was dressed in layers, he was still freezing cold. Behind him Csaba, Chloe, Moses, Giet, and Ven clambered over the mountain pass, the very same pass in which Senel and Shirley were ambushed by Vaclav and his Terrors. That felt to Senel over an eternity ago.

"Okay team," Senel said as his white breath briefly manifested before him and disappeared, "the monster Will talked about should be around here somewhere ..."

Good gracious! The cliff edge was encrusted with white blue frosts of ice. Ice! Luckily the frost had not extended to the ground on which Senel and the team needed to fight.

Giet loped ahead with Ven, and the two monsters glanced back toward their human allies and threw their head back, howling. Moses jumped ahead, Gungnir spear at the ready. Csaba took up the back ranks, drawing a bow to the string, and Chloe accompanied Senel in the front line.

Monsters leapt from the higher cliffs, galfs, all of them.

"Heh," Moses said cheekily, "this ain't enough to bring anyone down!"

"Don't let your guard down." Senel warned. Moses did have a habit of getting cocky.

Chloe edged forward with her sword at the ready. The alpha galf barked once, and the lesser galfs flanking it loped forward at a charge. Giet and Ven engaged with them. Csaba's raptor had leapt atop one galf, its sickle like claws tearing out large hunks of flesh. Giet tackled the other one, tearing out its throat. The muzzles of both beasts came out drenched with red blood.

"Yeehaw!" Moses shouted, throwing his spear at the incoming alpha galf. It dodged, and Chloe threw a Demon Fang at it. Moments before collision the galf leapt over the shockwave, and Senel jumped in the air for a Talon Strike.

It was huge, its body much more brawny than Senel had thought, and he was more thrown off as he regained his footing on the mountain path.

"Demon Fang Blast!" Senel tried, and the massive shockwave indeed hit the alpha galf, and Chloe got in a Sword Rain attack.

Csaba got the final hit with a resounding Star Embrace attack, and under the rain of arrows, the galf's body fell limp on the ground. Went still.

"Another one for Team Moses!" Moses grinned broadly, collecting his fallen spears and stowing them away in his shouldered quiver.

"Are you all right, Coolidge?" Chloe asked as she panted cold air.

Senel shivered, rubbing his arms to generate warmth. "Not as well as I'd like." He said ruefully, cursing the cold.

He looked at the dead monster's body. He then noticed that this galf's blood was not red ...

"Guys, look at this." Senel said, pointing out the blood streaming from the arrow wounds.

_Something _oozed out the galf's body, not a red blood, but an inky black substance. Senel made to kneel beside it, to get a closer look--

"Senel, look out!" Csaba shouted, and not a moment too soon.

The galf leapt to life, despite the arrows sticking out of its body, and the black ink pooled at its feet.

"What ... is this?!" Chloe demanded at the grotesque sight.

Before Senel or anyone could answer, a blindfold covered Senel's eyes. He blinked, and realized, along with the additional moisture in the atmosphere, that this was no blindfold, but a black ... mist of a kind. He waved his arms at it, but it did not clear away. He heard the growls of the undead galf, and he stumbled, not wanting to accidentally fall off the cliff again.

Alive Stella might be, she was no longer connected to the Legacy.

Senel heard a snarl--Ven's voice--and the galf's whine and yelping as the sound of crushing bones met his ears. He winced, imagining the sight. Only then did the black mist clear, and the dead alpha galf was drenched in the black inky substance.

Panting, Senel got to his feet, and was terrified that he had fallen not too far from the edge of the cliff.

"What was that?" Chloe exclaimed, eyes wide. The bodies of the monsters they'd exterminated dissolved into black particles, eventually disappearing altogether.

Senel shook his head, no.

"I don't know. We'd better report this to Will."

Things had been strange aboard the Legacy lately. Among them was the fact that in addition to the elementals, one other person seemed to have disappeared.

"I wonder if this has anything to do with Grune's disappearance." Csaba asked the empty, frigid air.

"I am missing that pretty babe ... " Moses said, his head hung low.

Chloe sheathed her sword, and her words tried to find a positive outlook.

"I'm sure Grune's fine. Airheaded she might be, she does know powerful crystal eres."

"If only she'd remember to use them," Senel muttered but it was audible only to him.

Backs turned, they fell back into formation, heading back to Werites Beacon.

--

Hikaru: Sorry it's so short, but I have work to do.


	34. Awakening

Hikaru: Almost done! The last chapter will (of course) be titled Epilogue.

--

"Senny! Senny!"

It was still overcast and cold when Senel's little troop returned to Werites Beacon, but he had not expected Norma to come running to meet them on the road. She was running at top speed, waving one of her hands around. It looked like she was holding something.

"What is it?" Chloe asked as Norma came to a halt, panting in wisps of cold air after her running.

Norma triumphantly held up her hand, opened her fingers. Nestled inside her palm was a turquoise stone, tear shaped. Senel had seen that stone once before.

"Is that ... ?" He said, pointing at it.

Norma positively beamed.

"Yep! It's the Everlight! I toldja I'd find it!"

"Where did you find it?" Chloe asked as she looked at the stone.

The stone's shine and shape reminded Senel of the Blue Moon Crystal on Arcadia. This more than anything drove to home of the inhabitants of MelFes being descended to those from Arcadia.

Norma did a little happy dance.

"In the Crystal Forest."

A deafening silence prevailed for a time.

"The Crystal Forest?" Csaba said, his head tilted to one side in question. Ven and Giet mirrored this action, their antics almost cute.

Moses frowned slightly. "Isn't that where ... "

"THAT's where it's been all this time!?" Chloe and Senel shouted simultaneously in disbelief.

"W-well, yeah ... why?" Norma stammered, not knowing quite why her two friends were upset.

"That's where we first met!" Senel roared, indignant.

Norma leaned toward him, one of her feet crossing the other in a mock-curtsey.

"Oh, you remembered? I didn't know you cared, Senny!"

Chloe seemed to flush, perhaps from the cold but did not answer.

"No," Senel said accusingly, pointing at Norma, "that's the first place you were looking for the damned thing on the Legacy!"

"Oh," Norma abandoned her curtsey, her face going blank. "Well, yeah, what about it? I found it, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but you coulda saved us a whole lotta trouble!" Moses playfully retorted. If he had a tail, he might've been wagging it.

"What?" Norma pouted, looking genuinely heartbroken. "I was helpful, wasn't I?"

Here Chloe seemed to recover. She patted Norma on the shoulder. "Yes, and more besides. A great friend and invaluable comrade to us all."

"Oh, okay!" Norma perked up instantly, resulting in Chloe, Senel, and Moses sighing and hanging their heads.

"She sure recovered quickly ... " Senel murmured.

"So what will you wish for?" Csaba inquired, craning his neck to get a look at the Everlight over Moses's shoulder. Even Ven and Giet seemed interested in the stone.

Norma shrugged, apparently conflicted. "I dunno. The goal was to find it, not to wish for anything ... hmm, I suppose there IS something ... but ... I dunno ... oh, never mind." She shook her head as if to rid it of distracting thoughts. "Anyway, what are you yahoos up to?"

They were all standing right outside Will's gate. Even in the cold, the flowerbeds seemed to thrive, as if Grune's tending them had given them great life and stamina, and even continued despite her painfully apparent absence. Senel gestured to the naturalist's doorstep.

"We were going to Will's house to tell him about the last monster extermination job."

Norma looked aft to the doorstep and the lonely flower garden. Her face fell; she and Grune had been fast friends ever since they'd discovered her in the Man Eating Ruins.

"Monster extermination, huh? How'd that go?" Norma instead asked, at last pocketing the Everlight. That little purse of hers didn't seem secure enough to hold such a rare stone, but Norma didn't seem very concerned with keeping it now that she had at last found it.

Ven pawed the ground irritably, her snout still stained black with the inky substance that last monster had been oozing out of its body. Giet nudged her shoulder comfortingly.

"It was very ... odd." Csaba said as he fidgeted with the sheathed dagger belted to his waist, the white fang keychain dangling as he did so. Chloe stared, unable to help herself. Csaba never was one to fidget; it didn't seem to go well with Moses and his men.

"How odd?" Norma asked, shrugging her shoulders. "Not all monsters are normal, y'know. Like those rare pain-in-the-butt monsters we find every so often."

"No, this one was super weird," Senel supplied, and Norma turned to face him. "We killed it, but then it jumped back up as if nothing had happened, and it was leaking this black inky stuff."

"And there was a black mist that shrouded the cliff," Chloe interjected, and Senel shuddered. What if he had fallen off the cliff that time? That would have most definitely not been well.

"Wow," Norma's eyes were wide in disbelief. But then again she had found the Everlight, a thing most everyone had said never existed and ridiculed those who went hunting for it.

"So now we're going to tell Will about it." Moses finished, starting off toward the doorstep. Something Norma said made him stop dead.

"So whattdaya think Teach's gonna do about it?"

Indeed, this black mist and monsters turning up alive after they'd been killed seemed like a powerful force that none could combat. But Senel, having the intuition of an Old World Arcadian (and Silvite, at that) and instincts honed by years working as an Alliance Marine, knew better, much better.

"No," Senel said. "When the black mist had come up over us, I could feel its energy. It was almost like crystal eren's energy, but not exactly the same."

"I didn't sense anything." Chloe said immediately, and Csaba and Moses shook their heads, too. Thereby putting discredit to Senel's testimony.

"Hmm," Norma folded her arms, tapping her foot like she usually did when she was thinking. It was then Senel noticed that Norma still wore only her usual yellow uniform; wasn't she cold? And he and the others (except Moses, of course) had dressed in layers and were still frozen stiff!

"It doesn't sound too far-fetched," Norma said at last, and Senel was relieved to find he might not have been imagining things in the panic he felt up on the cliff.

In single file the group had walked up to Will's house, some shivering in the cold. Senel knocked on the door, waited for Will to open it.

There was a rumble and a crashing noise that made Senel's hair stand on end. The sound of heavy footfalls approaching, and then Will opened the front door, looking flustered. Upon registering who was gathered outside his house, he brightened.

"Oh, you're back. Good timing."

"What was that noise?" Senel asked, trying to see inside the house but could not for Will's bulky, muscled frame.

Will uneasily shifted, moving so that his guests could be admitted inside. As they filed in, Senel saw the living room strewn with nothing but stacks upon stacks of volumes, each book at least half a foot thick with pages. Some of the stacks had been upset, presumably when Senel had startled Will by knocking on the door.

"What were you doing?" Chloe inquired as she picked her way about the room, trying not to step on any stray books or upset any surviving towers. Will seemed to twitch slightly as the beasts ambled in, but as if sensing Will's concern, strayed away from the books.

Will groaned, kneading his forehead with a hand, as if in exasperation.

"I've been researching about sudden bouts of cold weather phenomena worldwide and books about the Legacy, but so far--"

"What? All these are about the Legacy?!" Norma exclaimed, pointing to a stack.

Will shook his head. "Not all of them. But somewhat of a reinassance took place here, especially during the Rexalia-Ferines alliance during the Battle of the Bridge Plain."

Senel scanned the gold leafed titles imprinted in the spines of the leather-bound books. Many were about the Relares language and famous Ferines monuments translated into the Orerines tongue, others were about various places on the Legacy and their roles during the Kingdom of Terises; more titles proclaimed weather patterns and such.

"And your search ... ?" Senel offered, Will having been interrupted by Norma's outburst.

Will somberly shook his head, eyes downcast. "Fruitless."

Silence prevailed for a time and although Will's house was warmed courtesy of the fire crackling merrily in the fireplace (Senel didn't doubt Will had used his crystal eres to heat the entire building) it seemed to be filmed in coldness. All in all, it was very depressing.

"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Will," Moses said, catching the scholar's eye, "but that monster hunt you sent us on? We killed it, but it sprang right back up as if it were nothin'."

"What?!" Will's jaw went agape, his dark eyes wide behind his glasses.

"That's not all. There was also a black mist that appeared, and it got even colder." Senel interjected.

Will heaved a sigh, throwing himself onto a sofa, an arm flung over his eyes. "Great. Now what? Grune's missing, the Ferines are ever so wary of us, and now there are new natural phenomena that's nigh unexplainable."

Will was still very young, only twenty-eight, (also a very young age to have a nine-year-old daughter!) but he now looked and probably felt much older than he should have. Since the people in Werites Beacon depended on him so much and combine that with the Holy Sovereign of Rexalia's confidence and protection stacked up high amounts of stress. Pile on Harriet's issues and temper tantrums as well as this new unexplainable malady and Will might've already buckled under the immense weight of it all.

He looked so very tired.

"Actually," Senel began, feeling a pang of guilt for disturbing Will, "it might be explainable. As a Silvite, I can sense other kinds of energy apart from eres. The black mist as well as the undead monster exuded a type of energy that's similar to crystal eres, but not quite the same. If I had to, I'd say it was most similar to the Lunar magicks found on Arcadia."

A heavy silence pervaded the air, and everyone stared at Senel as if he had suddenlysprouted multiple heads and limbs. Senel felt uneasy under their scrutiny; he had just reminded them that he was not an Orerines, that he was a foreigner.

And foreigners were not to be trusted.

But it seemed at least Will's curiosity had pardoned him. "Lunar magicks? Pray enlighten me." Quiet Nerifes below! Will's tiredness seemed to melt away, his eyes already twinkling with that spark that indicated piqued intelligence. The atmosphere, thankfully, appeared to ease some, and Senel loosened his shoulders; he reflexively tensed them when put under scrutiny.

During the brief time Senel felt he was allowed to speak to Will about Hoseia and his ilk, Will had mentioned something about Hoseia telling everyone about Arcadia, Auldrant, Aselia and the wars that were shared, but nothing much beyond it.

"All right." Senel said, rolling his shoulders to get out any kinks in them. "Arcadia has seven moons, the stones of which had fallen on specific regions on the planet and thus shaped the physical environment, weather, and culture that developed in each region. Moonstones carry the power of their mother moon; red moonstones allow one to use fire magick, blue water and wind, green healing, and so on. But unlike crystal eres, Lunar magick is not limited to a named spell written in a scroll. You could use a moonstone or some number of them to evoke certain phenomena ..."

"Like the black mist." Norma finished, for once serious. Her bubbly demeanor was gone for now.

"And there is a Dark Moon orbiting Arcadia." Chloe whispered, as if uttering the name any louder would portend ill omen.

Will once again sighed, rubbing his temple as if he had run headlong into a brick wall.

"Well, with Hoseia and his kind gone as they are now, who else is there to tell us about dark moonstone?"

Senel felt both grateful and disappointed that he was not counted among those Arcadians who had useful knowledge regarding the dark moonstone and its abilities. Kratos as an informant jumped quickly in Senel's mind, but he was on his own home planet now, as were Tear and the others. There was no viable way to contact him, either, as Hoseia, the only one with enough wits to find or make a machine capable of communicating over such a distance, was gone.

His jaw dropped slack as he racked his brains for a possible solution to this problem.

And he had found it.

" ... There is someone who can help us." Senel said carefully, hoping he was correct.

Will quirked a brow, lifting his hand from his eyes. "Truly? Honest to Nerifes? There is such a person on MelFes?"

"But who?" Chloe asked, genuinely puzzled. Moses and Csaba made no sound, apparently clueless. Norma looked as though she were racking her brains, but didn't think of anything.

Senel inhaled deeply.

"Jay might know about this. He's descended from Darkites, Old World Arcadians who had lived under the light of the Dark Moon. Hoseia also had given him a dark moonstone, but I don't know why."

This new bit of information, a stone falling in a pond, caused small ripples in quick succession to form towering tidal waves of shock. Senel could see it in their faces, a new fear that they were in fact beset by unknowable foreigners all around them with no hope of escape. Senel also saw that reaction from them when Jay had revealed in the Quiet Lands his thoughts of the Ferines having come from another planet.

_Deep down, when you heard the Ferines are from another world, you felt the same as I do, didn't you? You were scared that they are so different from you. To be honest, I was scared to death when I found out._

" ... This is the first I've heard of that." Will said, all previous scholarly enthusiasm gone from him. In fact, he sounded like the stern Will Senel had known when they had first met when he and Shirley had come to the Legacy.

The Will who was doubtful of Senel, even distrustful.

Feeling the old short fuse burning, Senel spat, "Well, it's true. I'm going to see him about this; come or stay, it's your decision."

He made for the front door. When he touched the knob, Will finally spoke.

"Wait."

Senel didn't turn around to face his allies. His friends. He gripped the door knob but made no other move.

"Give me time to prepare a message to Shirley." Will said, his footsteps resounding on the hardwood floor.

Knocked completely off guard, Senel turned, jaw agape, blathering, "Wh-what? To Shirley--why?"

Chloe caught on to the chord Will had struck with Senel. A smug look developed on her face as she turned to Senel. "Coolidge, of course Shirley and the other Ferines should know about the black mist and undead monsters."

Flushing, Senel mumbled something to effect of, "Y-yeah ... of course."

And of course Jay would know about the mist; he was an information dealer. Senel felt infinitely silly, all dignity currently stripped from him.

In the same instance, he also felt guilty--he had been so busy with his new job as a monster regulator that he had not given even a second thought of contacting Stella and Shirley beyond written messages. Messages that were not even penned by his hand, sent only in his name.

As Will found a notebook and began jotting down all the important points of the previous conversation to effectively relay them to their primary receiver, Senel couldn't help himself.

"A-are we going to deliver the message personally?"

His face was aflush once more as Will gave him a look that gave him his answer.

Well, at least he'd stop getting occasional pangs of guilt.

--

Jay was effectively preparing the Oresoren for a siege. He'd worked nearly single-handedly putting up new defenses around the current Oresoren village, utilizing his recently newfound inherent ablities as a Derines as often as possible. Atrunae also helped when Jay would allow him.

The reason for his caution was obvious: the shrouds of black mist turning up at various locations around the Legacy, and the monsters that were abnormally powerful and springing up undead whenever Jay and Atrunae struck them down. The energy of the fell mist and monsters struck a familiar chord within Jay; it felt almost nostalgic.

In his pocket he also felt the dark moonstone stir and burn passionately, the energy burning through the cloth of his jacket and scalding his flesh whenever he neared the black mist and its fell monsters.

He could guess what sort of thing this black mist and its fey creatures were, only he knew not exactly what or who was bringing it about.

Whatever--whoever--conjured such a mist and vile monsters could not have good intentions for the Legacy. The Legacy, yes, for Jay worked all his mainland contacts and received no word of such phenomena on the mainland. But he didn't doubt that unless the roots were cut, the problem would soon spread to the mainland.

He and Atrunae conversed about all this in his room.

"Atrunae, did my family practice such things in their lives?" He asked, sitting at the foot of his bed, Atrunae curled on the tye-dyed oval rug.

Jay didn't like to think his family would perform such magicks that would put so many in such danger, but he had to narrow it down. If it were an ability inborn of his family, he could himself be the root cause ...

Atrunae lifted his head from his crossed paws, his golden eyes piercing Jay to the core.

"To the exent of my knowledge, no."

Jay heaved a sigh of relief. Besides, for the sixteen years Jay had been alive, and the six he'd spent on the Legacy, no occurence like this mist had ever appeared before anywhere on the surface of the planet. Thus his doubts had run aground.

"I concluded long ago that this black mist is connected to the Lunar magicks of Arcadia's Dark Moon--even considering that I, a Darkite descendant in possession of a dark moonstone may be involuntarily conjuring this mist--but I know nothing beyond that. If the sheer act of having a dark moonstone on MelFes ..." Jay stopped himself. Hoseia had given him this moonstone. Hoseia and his ilk had been aboard the Legacy, on MelFes, for thousands of years in stasis, and yet the dark moonstone in his possession had not called up bouts of black mist.

He shook his head, feeling a slight headache coming on. There were too many variables, too many what-ifs to successfully narrow any one thing down.

The only strange occurance that had happened along with the mist was Grune's disappearance. True, she was airheaded and tended to wander, but because she always was with Senel, Jay and the others, she would wind up back with them in due time. He didn't doubt her abilities as a crystal eren, either--but to be alone, having to cope with short-term memory loss while the black mist churned out dangerous undead creatures, that was a cause for concern.

"Jay," Atrunae said, its otherworldly eyes never wandering, "you are right in that it is related to Lunar magicks known only to the Darkites and their descendants; it is what the dark moonstone you carry yearns for; it thirsts for the nourishing magick of the Dark Moon it has been denied for thousands of years. But you are not the cause, of this I will assure you."

The corners of Jay's mouth were teased into forming a semblance of a smile. Solon was gone now, gone for good. Smiling was something that was becoming easier and easier for Jay to do, forgetting the mask of iron that Solon had worked so hard to forge into him.

He withdrew the dark moonstone from the depths of his jacket, the little black stone riven with inner hunger, the insatiable thirst for the energy from its homeland. Even in his palm it burned, but it left no visible mark on Jay's ivory skin. Jay was a descendant of Darkites, yes, a Derines he had named himself. He, along with Walter, were the final testaments to the long-lost Darkites. Not extinct, simply ... lost. For he had heard from the elementals that the Dark Empire had not perished, its buildings and people had only vanished in the wake of the Rains. They, along with the Violites of whom Nievia was a part of.

Indeed, for Jay to be a Derines was no unbelievable thing--he had witnesses as well to back up that notion, not to mention his own abilities and immunity to the Curse element. The very proof of his ancestry--the dark moonstone--lay in his very palm.

But how Walter could be of Darkite descent escaped him. It seemed so very recent, too, as if he were half Darkite and half Ferines, there was no questioning the inner conflict Jay had sensed within Walter's very being. Perhaps that was why he was so unstable, in more ways than one.

As Jay pondered and considered all these things, there was only thought that had any chance of holding the answer to the predicament set upon him.

"The only one who can tell me what I want to know ... Hoseia Tempestas."

--

The journey to meet Jay was uneventful, as the group had elected to travel by duct. But as they advanced toward the Oresoren village, a number of traps had come to meet them--all of which had been disarmed jointly by Moses and Csaba, who as tribal men were used to such occurences.

"Jeez, what is JJ doing?" Norma said peevishly, having been only inches from a spikes trap. "Is he preparing for war or something?"

"He might well be," Will said, eyeing the deadly traps with evident distaste. "With the monsters and mist, it's only natural--for Jay, anyway."

From then on Moses and Csaba, along with Ven and Giet, led the procession with Norma and Will guarded in the middle in front of Senel and Chloe. The beasts guarded the flanks.

Many more traps, all of them deadly, were disabled before they came to the village entrance.

Needless to say, Senel and the others were very shaken up by the time they reached the village.

"Senel! Will!" A fluffy round Oresoren came running up toward them, and Senel recognized Quppo in his red and white martial arts uniform.

"Good timing!" Moses said, stomping his foot down. Quppo looked up at Moses, confused. "Where is Jay? I want to know what the hell is up with all these traps he's been setting outside--"

_Thwhack._

Senel savored Moses's whine after Will bopped him over his head, a bump already distinguishing itself amidst Moses's vivid red hair.

"Settle down, Moses." Will said sternly, and the beast tamer shuffled uneasily.

Quppo acted as if nothing had happened.

"Anyway, you wanted to see Jay, right? He's in his room."

-

There were knocks at his door. Jay glanced at the door and in a wisp of darkness, Atrunae disappeared. A tad miffed at his thinking session being disrupted, Jay got to his feet, answered the door.

Quppo met him, those little eyes of his radiating energy.

"Jay, Senel and the others are here!"

Jay perked a little at this news. He followed Quppo downstairs, where indeed Senel and the others had gathered about the common room. They were chatting animatedly with Poppo and Pippo, chatter which abruptly ceased when Jay cleared his throat to make his presence known. Frowning, he studied their faces. All looked like deer caught in the headlights, ready to bolt any second.

Jay quirked an eyebrow at their stares.

"It is unseemly to stare." He said, and the others dropped their gazes.

He joined them in the circle, sitting in his usual way, rather comfortable on the pastel colored rug. The others looked uneasy, to say the least, although Jay had not the faintest idea why. He shrugged it off.

"To what do I owe this honor?" Jay asked.

Moses opened his mouth, no doubt to object to something perfectly reasonable--like, say, those traps set outside the Oresoren village. Jay had to put effort in order keep his smirk in check. Will gave Moses a stern glance and the beast tamer halted, not without reluctance.

Will then looked to Senel, who cleared his throat.

"You know about the black mist around the Legacy, right?"

Jay clicked with his tongue. "Straight to the point, I see. Yes, I do know about the mist. What of it?"

Senel worked his jaw, trying to figure out what to say next. He knew what he had to say, certainly, but the how was not so easy.

"The black mist," he began slowly, "has a kind of energy that is similar to crystal eres, but not exactly. It reminds me of Arcadian spell energy; Lunar magick to be precise. I think it might be a form of dark magick."

Jay simply couldn't resist rattling Senel's bars.

"Are you implying something, Senel?"

"N-no," He replied fastidiously, a blush forming on his face, "but like typical Lunar magick of any kind, it takes on the color and characteristics of its parent Moon orbiting Arcadia."

Jay nodded, and Senel seemed to calm. So it seemed Senel did have a good head on his shoulders and didn't jump to conclusions as quickly as most other people would. Even in the face of Senel knowing what kind of people from which Jay was descended were, he made a rational conclusion, simliar to his own deduction regarding the mist and its vile spawn.

"So you came to me to confirm your suspicions."

Senel nodded, looking more at ease in the case he might be correct.

"Then you'll be relieved," Jay said as he took in a deep breath, "that you are not alone in your suspicions, for I have reached a smiliar conclusion regarding the mist. The dark moonstone in my possession reacts to it, and that is more proof than anyone would need. The only thing now is who or what is manipulating this mist."

"But that's it," Senel said, exasperated, "we just don't know."

A smile teased at the corners of Jay's mouth. "You know to whom we should go for the answer to our questions."

Senel blinked, jaw working.

"But ... he disappeared." he said slowly.

"Which is why we're going to find him." Jay said briskly, standing up. He motioned for the others to do the same, and they obeyed.

"How're we going to find him?" Norma asked flatly. "It's not like we can just flip open the phone book and expect his number to be there!"

Jay gave her a wry smile, at which she arched a brow. "Quite the contrary, Norma. As a matter of fact there _is _a phone book we can flip open ... of sorts."

Senel opened his mouth to ask what the hooha Jay meant, but one look from the information dealer and Senel clamped his mouth shut.

--

En route, Senel couldn't help but snap at Jay,

"A phone book? Nerifes isn't a phone book!"

The red coral dwellings were close at hand; they had to go by foot, for the the ducts leading into the Ferines parts of the Legacy had been disabled as a security measure. They were rounding the familiar route on a packed dirt road, the sun shining but its golden warmth never reaching the earth of the Legacy. In fact, when they approached the Ferines capital city where Shirley, Stella, and Maurits made their home, the lake upon which the city was built was blanketed with a fine mist.

There were many more Ferines settlements now, some lonely dwellings that served to house only clans of people, but others were large enough to be a village. The only village that had expanded enough to be a city was the place where the Merines had made her home.

As Senel expected, the city was invisible to them on the road. He only knew the other dwellings were present for the aura he felt courtesy of his Silver Moon Crystal within his body, the intuition of a Silvite.

And, just as he expected, the moment they set foot on the lip of the lake shore, a shadow flew above--and they craned their necks to meet Walter Delques as he landed before them on the lake shore. As always, he wore an unsightly scowl.

"Senel." He hissed. Senel expected more insults, but oddly enough Walter said nothing of the kind. Instead, he asked, (albeit grudgingly) "You are here to see the ... Merines, no? Have you important business?"

Will stepped forward, as he had the last time the group had paid a visit to the Ferines. A visit that, as Senel recalled, had not ended particularly well.

"As a matter of fact, yes. We would like an audience with Shirley regarding the bouts of black mist and undead creatures that accompanied the mist. Overall the monsters seemed to have gained considerable strength individually and in numbers. Of course this a thing that concerns all who live on the Legacy."

If Walter had any objections, he could not fairly voice them. The Orerines representatives were here--Will of Rexalia, Chloe of Gadoria, Jay representing the Oresoren, and Moses and Csaba represented their beast tamer tribe. Naturally, Will spoke the truth when he said this black mist concerned all who inhabited the Legacy.

Strangely enough, though, Walter voiced no objection or even announced his resolve never to allow the Merines once again to be tainted by the sight and presence of filthy Orerines.

Walter simply nodded. "Yes. My men, automata and I have uncovered a number of these incidents involving the black mist and stronger monsters, and you are correct in that it is a concern worthy of notice. The Felcyes have already suffered heavy casualties, and there would have been more had my automata had not been there."

He hung his head and muttered under his breath. It should have been inaudible, but Senel heard him loud and clear:

"I am not worthy to be a commander when I cannot even save my own men."

Senel considered replying but said nothing. If he had said anything, perhaps Walter's odd spell of good humor would dry.

Walter turned around, raised a hand, and the barrier shielding the city from human sight disappeared, revealing a newly expanded Ferines city of astounding beauty. Senel felt a jolt of pain in his hand, the one with the Silver Moon Crystal, and he had a feeling these dwellings more resembled their Azurite ancestors.

Walking forward to lead the way, Walter almost snapped, "This way," but it didn't quite have the sting Walter normally would have intended.

As they all followed the leader of the Felcyes (Holy Shield or Blue Guard, the Merines' personal guard and Ferines army), Senel wondered why Walter wasn't his usual snippish self. It was then he thought of Stella and Shirley, and their nature. Of course. If Walter had been around Stella and Shirley for this long, of course they would try to make him realize how errant his way of hatred was.

Even if Walter hadn't really changed, he was at least respecting the wishes of his Merines on the outside.

Just like last time, Walter directed the procession to the guest house, the largest building in the fledgling city. Just like last time, Maurits was there to greet him.

"Senel! It is nice to see you again." Senel knew Maurits well enough to know this was no act; he had acted as he had before only because of the will of the Raging Nerifes.

"Hello, Maurits." Senel replied, a small smile starting to spread on his face.

Within the guest house, everybody took a round coral seat (Giet and Ven happily curled up at the feet of their masters).

Will took up the mantle immediately when Maurits had taken his seat.

"Maurits, as Walter already informed us, the Ferines lands have had frequent encounters with the bouts of black mist and the creatures it produces, as well as the stronger monsters."

Maurits nodded gravely. "Yes. The brave soldiers of the Felcyes lost their lives fighting to quell this malady. It is the bane of Nerifes itself, for are not the Curse and Sea elements opposing and repulsive of one another?"

Jay spoke next, as it was his way of worming into conversations. "We believe--with good reason--that the black mist is the result of a phenomenon caused by magicks not of Nerifes's creation. We need only confirmation and who or what is maniuplating the mist."

Silence passed for a time, and a chilly wind blew through the dwelling. Senel shivered, folding his arms and drawing his sweater more tightly about his body.

"And for that you need to consult with Nerifes." Maurits said. "And therefore Shirley."

At once Maurits stood, beckoned the others to follow. For someone of importance as Shirley had, it would not do to make her come to them. They must come to her.

With every step they took toward Shirley's room, Senel's heart beat faster and louder, seeming to have leapt in his throat. For the first time since the Mirage Palace, he would see Shirley--would she ever forgive him for rejecting her? One thing was for certain--even if he had gotten Stella back, he would not lose Shirley. He would be open and honest with her this time.

The coral door slowly opened after Maurits had knocked on it gently. Senel could not help but to step forward eagerly, softly calling, "Shirley?"

He caught sight of a white dress, and for a frightening moment thought it was Stella. But when the folds of that dress moved and its wearer came into full view, it was Shirley. She was dressed simply as a Ferines, a white dress bordered in blue, similar to the dress she used to wear three years ago. She still wore her hair the same way, except the pink flowers on her headband had been replaced for blue ones to better match her color scheme.

She was beautiful.

Shirley's sea blue eyes went wide, her breath drawn in sharply.

"S-Senel ..."

Senel smiled softly.

"I'm back."

Tears beaded at her eyes and she threw herself in Senel's arms.

-

Ultimately, Shirley agreed to journey to the Altar of the Sea to consult Nerifes on the whereabouts of the one who could give them the information they needed--as well as one other missing ally. Grune had been gone a long time now, with little or no sign at all of her whereabouts. Curtis and Isabella even dispatched search parties, but none succeeded.

While Shirley made ready to go, Senel was free to otherwise explore the newly expanded Ferines capital.

He wandered about, drinking in the new sights, and stopped dead when a hauntingly familiar melody filled his ears.

_Fel Eres Lyes Wel Eres Lyes Fel Eres Quen Eres Rel Eres Nes Ques Eres Lyes Ores Rel Eres Lyes Ores Res Mes Eres Lyes Ores Ren Eres Lyes ..._

He murmured the meanings under his breath, nearly breathless.

"Sacred powers of the ship, great power of the ship, the sacred power takes flight, the ultimate power hidden by one with power, the enchanted wings of the ship, the land hides the ship, the land hidden shines with the power of the ship, the land hides the power of the ship ... "

It was an old recount of a song about the birth of the Kingdom of Terises. He knew this song well, so well that when he walked peaceful roads where the birds chirped, he could hear the song of its own accord.

Thus he had named it:

"The birds chirp, I sing," Senel said softly.

Walking swiftly, almost running, he came around a bend in the road to a courtyard where the lake's waters lapped against the earthen foundation of the Ferines capital. A woman clad in white and blue sat on the sandy shore, her bare feet dipped in the blue water, barely making a ripple on the surface. Her golden hair was long and unbound, sweeping the sand behind her. Her voice carried across the whole of the Legacy, it seemed, enchanting and beautiful.

Senel stepped toward her, heart skidding to a stop.

"Stella."

Her voice vanished and she looked over her shoulder, her gold hair swept with the motion. Blue eyes widened in pleasant surprise.

She got to her feet and laughing in delight, sped toward him--he caught her in his arms, holding her tight, cheek pressed against hers.

They stood there for an eternity, simply holding one another in a loving embrace, wishing for the moment to last forever.

Finally, Senel said, "Long time no see."

"I'm glad you're safe." Stella replied, and leaning in, she and Senel shared a chaste kiss.

After a moment they parted, all contact lost, except for the hands they intertwined with one another's. They stood together, watching the sun set on the horizon of the blue lake, its light shimmering like diamonds on the surface.

Stella breathed in the fresh air deeply.

"So, you and Shirley are going to resolve this black mist problem?"

Senel nodded, his hold on Stella's hand gentle yet firm.

"Yes. We're going to the Altar of the Sea."

Stella looked at him, her face illuminated by the golden light of the sun.

"I don't suppose I can go?"

Senel blinked, surpirsed that she had asked such a question. Stella was a more than capable fighter--and Will had told him in a letter sent by Shirley recently that Stella and Shirley had been learning to fist fight at Walter's instruction. Add to that Stella's teriques and crystal eres, and she was nigh unstoppable.

"I don't have any qualms about it, but ..." here he grinned. "You don't think we might be ... distracted?"

Playfully Stella slapped his arm.

"We found the Oceanic Tear, didn't we? And we were on our own that time."

Senel nodded; it was true. Three years ago when Shirley had failed the first Rite of Accession and been bedridden with a dangerously high fever and locked in comatose, Senel and Stella alone had ventured from the safety of the village to search for the Oceanic Tear, the ore that was said to cure any disease.

Even though Stella had no knowledge of hand to hand combat, she was still a formidable force as a crystal eren and her lightning quick teriques.

When Senel opened his mouth to reply, Stella smiled, shaking her head.

"No, I won't go. I'll stay here and fill in for Shirley while she's gone. Maurits will have a hard time by himself. Besides, don't you and Shirley have a lot to catch up on?" Her grin was wry, although it clearly pained her to have to separate herself from Senel after going so long without even knowing if he lived or died.

She was right. Senel and Shirley did have a lot to catch up on ... and Senel had to know how Shirley felt about him now, and she needed to know how he felt about her. This time he would not make the same mistake again. Last time he had crushed her, left her with but a husk of who she had been before, becoming merely a sheep to shepherded at Nerifes's will--quite literally.

Senel hugged Stella and she returned it.

"I'll see you later, then. Take care."

--

The journey to the Altar was tedious, to say the least. Since the Altar of the Sea was part of Ferines territory, its duct had been disabled as well, thusly after trekking halfway across the Legacy, Senel and the team (now joined by Shirley) now had another trek across the Legacy to look forward to.

Which is why Shirley commandeered a Ferines ship (a very beautiful coral longboat) that ran on eres stones and it was decided they would sail along the shallower seas until they came up next to the Altar on the bow of the Legacy.

The ride was pleasant enough, even if it was dimmed by cloudy skies and the ever present cold atmosphere that took root on the Legacy like so much else.

Senel found himself staring at the sea as they sailed, its brilliant shine diminished by the overcast skies above it. It was almost gray, the intense blue he had seen before almost suffocated.

Senel sighed, relaxed. Looking at the sea made him feel lulled, calm ... like the sea of the Quiet Nerifes. One of the first Ferines to ever have promoted and worked for co-existence between Ferines and Orerines: the Merines of yore called Aqua Helnes. True, Senel had lost his soul by that time in the Quiet Lands, but he remembered snatches of when Aqua's soul had possessed his body--and he knew why at last the Quiet Nerifes could not grant him power.

One of the reasons was his own doubts and inhibitions--the fact that he never thought of himself being an eren as a good thing. The other reason was that the Raging Nerifes, born naturally of the immense power of its mother crystal from the Blue Moon of Arcadia, the cradle of all life on MelFes, was overpowering the meager will of the Quiet Nerifes, born artificially of an integration of a mortal Ferines soul (although she herself was to be a Merines) with a body of water.

By the time Aqua Helnes had granted her sacred eres to the others, she had been drained, as if her hands were bound behind her back. She could not grant Senel power even if she tried to.

That was why--at the Mirage Palace, too--Senel could use his eres on the surface after he'd received his soul. The raging sea had been calmed, an understanding reached. Then the power reached him. He'd caught glimpses of Aqua's personality during the visions she had shown him and the others, and when he used his eres now, he sensed her lending him strength.

It was a comforting, warm feeling.

--

The long boat berthed right beside the entrance to the Altar of the Sea. Shirley's limbs shook as she clambered out of the boat, the others following suit. It was hard, coming back here. Now that she was the Raging Nerifes's--Marina's--puppet no longer, she had feared this place, and the Mirage Palace. Those were the places she had hurt the people she cared about. The people who had given so much for her sake.

It was strange, but it was true that her awakening as a Merines was not fully complete. A true awakening entailed the will of Nerifes completely possessing the body of the Merines, an earthly vessel with which it could make its will manifest. If Shirley had been fully cooperative, she might have retained consciousness and even had small control of what actions she would take.

But no. On the Altar, when a band of Orerines had mercilessly slaughtered innocent Ferines and killed Fenimore when she had taken the stab meant for Shirley, she was stricken with grief and disoriented. She had just lost Stella, the only family left to her, and then her first friend with her.

She had begged someone to help Fenimore. None came forward. As Fenimore uttered her last words and final blessing, as her body fell limply on the coral platform, devoid of life, her neck twisted at an odd angle, Shirley's world came crashing down around her. Through the confusion and chaos, she heard a voice, a comforting voice offering solace ...

At the moment she didn't care. The pillars of her life came tumbling down in flames and she was doomed to suffocate within the deadly fumes. All this, the result of the hatred the Orerines had for the Ferines. In the face of this malady, within her heart for the first time in her life bloomed a feeling she seldom knew--intense hatred for the ones who caused her grief, the ones who wronged her countless times over.

Shirley had fallen into Nerifes's embrace, the voice of the sea whispering words of comfort.

Just like the Orerines had wronged her, they had wronged the entire Ferines race. Invaders from another planet, they seized the Merines and used her power--her life--to create the mainland. They had monopolized and used the lives of countless Ferines for the Nerifes Cannon and so much else. Razed entire villages, killed all they could--men, women, children, elderly, it didn't matter to them.

The Merines had sacrificed herself with the Wings of Life to create land aboard the Legacy, the Terises. The new order.

The Merines after her had received the will of Nerifes and revived the Wings of Light to bring about the Cataclysm, to right all the wrongs of the wayward race. That Merines, too, had died and become one with Nerifes, the ultimate honor.

Noble Merines they were, all of them martyrs, dying for a just cause--the end the suffering of the Ferines, to be the guiding light of her people.

Then why couldn't she be such a Merines, to finally deliver the Ferines from all they had suffered for four thousand years?

She would avenge her lost family, avenge Fenimore, lay the foundation for an eternal calm, a grand millenia when the Ferines no longer had to cower in fear of the barbarian invaders that had come to destroy their very being.

And Nerifes had egged her on.

_Don't you see? _It had said. _MelFes runs red with blood--her fever will not cease to rage until the diseased and corrupted flesh is severed and burned!_

But in her time among Orerines for those three years--good Orerines as well as bad ones--she had come to realize:

_But you would cut away the pure flesh with the befouled! There are good people among the Orerines--and none in short supply!_

Nerifes had grown angry, true to its nickname.

_And what had those people given back to us? Nay, I will have my due--and so will all Ferines! The Orerines will pay what they owe!_

Shirley had boldly retorted,

_So you seek to get rid of the corruption by becoming a part of it? There are other ways to soothe a fever than the knife! The poison can be drawn!_

Wryly Nerifes had replied,

_What miracle drug can drive the Orerines from this place? The only choice left to us is the knife--to cut all away or nothing._

And no longer could Shirley have dominion over her own body. The dearest secret Shirley had hoped never to reveal, the reason why she had failed the first Rite of Accession she had undertaken--

Nerifes had spoken directly through her, almost mocking her into submission.

_Fenimore. I remember why I failed the Rite of Accession. I refused. I failed on purpose. If I had succeeded, it would mean ... I would have to kill my brother._

Shirley fought vainly for Nerifes not to betray her secret, the heinous reason she had purposely failed the Rite. But Nerifes was revived with the awakening of the Merines. Its hold on her was too strong.

And to show Shirley just how utterly powerless she was--how ironic, for she was a Merines--the Raging Nerifes had Shirley take up her hand--and strike Senel, then the person closest to her--down.

That vision was forever ingrained within her mind, her blue light choking Senel, unable to breathe, unable to move, his eyes wide in disbelief, asking the same thing over and over and over again with that same desperation:

_Why?_

Senel had looked like a rag doll when Nerifes had released its hold on him. Limp, motionless, dead at a cursory glance.

"Shirley?" Chloe asked as she got off the boat, looking at her questioningly.

Shirley managed a small smile.

"Yeah. Sorry. Let's go."

--

Chloe felt physically sick as they traveled through the beautiful undersea caverns of the Altar. She remembered the Gadorian sword they found at the entrance, and the dead Ferines, covered in ghastly, inhumane wounds. They looked as if their deaths were slow and most painful.

Faces white as sheets, still wearing expressions full of fear and hatred and anguish. Dead, dead, all of them, piled together, filling up the sacred halls of Nerifes.

And Gadorian knights, Chloe's countrymen, had mercilessly, brutally massacred them, taking enjoyment in eradicating those who had brought about the joint Crusandian attack on the Gadorian capital and the destruction of Mt. Zeriques.

No ... the killing of those innocents went against the very precepts of a knight's sworn oath and duty.

Chloe still thought she saw bloodstains on the coral halls.

--

Shirley hadn't spoken with Nerifes ever since the Mirage Palace incident.

As she stepped onto the Altar, bowing her head in prayer, she felt the eyes of the others boring holes into her, possibly wondering if she would go berserk again, whether or not Nerifes had truly calmed.

No, Shirley would be stronger this time.

She felt the familiar surge of energy that was Nerifes's will, and this time when she heard its voice, it was not the same as before. The voice was completely different, as two people had different voices.

This time the voice was gentle, not hostile. It had a voice of bells, wind chimes ringing in the pleasant, tranquil spring breeze.

Shirley found herself smiling. She liked this Nerifes better, much better. She frowned. She knew that the anger Nerifes had born was the manifested anger of the previous few Merines who had died more or less as a result of Orerines intervention. That did make sense, seeing how once a Merines died, she escaped her yoke of flesh and became one with Nerifes, returned to Nerifes. They had carried their anger and burning hatred with them.

Nerifes had been taken over, then--speaking with the spirit of Marina, the Merines who had caused the Cataclysm.

Shirley straightened up, turning to face her allies. Her friends.

"It seems Hoseia and Grune are in the Quiet Lands."

--

The words range in his head incessantly, a never ending echo that with each resounding brought pain.

_The Quiet Lands._

The only thing to do was to venture down to the hold of the Legacy--the Quiet Lands.

-

They decided to split into groups and explore the monuments, each group having one healer. This was a perfect opportunity to have one-on-one time with Senel, so Shirley volunteered to team up with him. It should have been all right, for Shirley with the revival of her eres counted among them healing arts.

Senel had no qualms, either, but seemed a tad unsettled.

No wonder, Shirley grimly thought, after their falling-out and how she had been taken in by Nerifes. Shirley was, in essence, a soulless pawn for the Raging Nerifes. In the Mirage Palace, and the Altar, she ahd felt so very helpless. Her awakening was no complete, it was true, she was more half and half.

Vying for control of herself, sometimes she succeeded, other times she failed. Like when she had attacked those who were trying to stop her from activating the Wings of Light.

She still woke up, in the middle of the night. Woken from nightmares of a great blue light in the sea, and the ocean--as if it were alive--tore through and devoured the remaining mainland.

The other groups had gone as follows--Norma and Chloe, Will and Moses (as well as Giet), and Csaba and Ven (Csaba knew some healing eres).

They also played a game of rock-paper-scissors to determine which groups would explore which monument, for in the plains and shores of the Quiet Lands, there was nothing.

Will and Moses pulled the Ice Monument, Csaba and Ven the Fire, Chloe and Norma got the Thunder Monument (poor Chloe, being scared of lightning and all), and Shirley and Senel received the Earth Monument.

Shirley thought Senel's breath might've hitched when they knew which monument to go to, but perhaps she had just imagined it.

As the two of them walked across the lush, vibrant hills of grassland, wildflowers poking out, their blossoms little dots of color among the green blades, Shirley spoke.

"Senel, I'm sorry."

He stopped dead, jaw dropped.

"Why are you apologizing?"

Shirley hung her head, watching her feet move one before the other. The Earth Monument loomed in the distance.

"I made you worry ... after I awakened Nerifes I even hurt you ... and the others when they've already done so much for me ..."

She looked up when she felt Senel's hand clap on her shoulder. He smiled softly, and her heart ached, but she willed the ache to stop. Senel probably had more than enough on his plate right now, he didn't need any of her baggage.

"Hahah ... that should be my line." he said, and Shirley saw the Senel from before, the big brother who had looked after her all this time--and continued to look after her still. "I've been entire planets away and no one here knew if I was alive or dead. I'm sorry."

The wind blew as a breeze, and Shirley dwelt as they continued walking toward the monument. She saw over and over that Senel was not in love with her. He loved Stella, that much was apparent. Sure, he loved Shirley, too, but Shirley was sure he could never love her in that way.

Shirley had made that realization, that they would be nothing more than during the time he had been planets away. She had time to sort out her disoriented feelings. She had never been "in love" before, and as she and Stella and Maurits worked to unite the Ferines, she had grown.

What she had felt for Senel was nothing more than puppy love. Maurits had sheltered her after her parents died, so she never learned to broaden her horizons.

"Senel, I'm happy for you and Stella."

Senel stopped dead.

"Wh-what? You aren't ... upset or mad or anything?"

Shirley could have rolled her eyes. Great Nerifes! It sounded almost wistful. She turned and looked Senel straight in the eye. His rejection still hurt, and it still hurt to look on him, but the wound would heal. If she had to lose Senel, she didn't want to lose him because he couldn't be in a romantic relationship with her.

"Am I lying?"

Senel stared at her for a long time, studying her. Never once did she flinch or falter.

"Yeah ... you're not lying. It's just ... I'm sorry."

Shirley grinned as she skipped ahead on the crown of a hill.

"C'mon, Senel, there are other fish in the sea! I know I'll reel in my catch someday."

-

The Earth Monument had changed little in the month or so Senel had been absent from it. The atmosphere in the Monument was as pleasant as ever, no monsters chased them around, and leaping the moving red panels was nothing even for Shirley, who had never been to the Monument before.

They spoke little as they rested in the antechamber. Senel handed Shirley one of the sandwiches he'd brought with him. Cold cuts were always good, and Senel and Shirley never had any qualms about having cold cuts.

But sitting in the antechamber, Senel was overhwelmed by the still fresh memories of Kratos and Tear.

Off-worlders they were, and he'd never known it. They'd never told him anything beyond taking him to the Monuments and the elementals. In many ways, Jay was right. Senel _had_ been deceived.

But still, Senel could never think of Kratos and Tear as anything but his allies. It was difficult to accuse someone who had helped you in battle, taken care of you when you fell ill, healed your battle wounds, and even cooked for you.

Kratos had not joined him quite yet, but Senel remembered when he and Tear rested in this very same antechamber. He remembered that she had served rice balls, the first taste of Tear's excellent cooking he had.

Shirley caught on to Senel's unusual silence. Senel was not usually accustomed to constant silence.

"Senel, are you okay?"

Senel stared at the half-eaten sandwich he had. The spices of the pastrami he used in the sandwich tickled his tongue.

"Yeah, I was just thinking about Kratos and Tear ..."

Shirley straightened up as she sat, something of a small smile spreading on her face.

"Well, yeah, after you've fought together as comrades, it's hardly easy to forget them once they leave to a different planet."

Senel chortled. Shirley was right. It wasn't easy to forget them after they've gone someplace to which you could never reach. To a place where you could never see them again.

"Well, who said I'd forget them? I'll never forget them or their help."

Shirley nodded, finishing off her sandwich.

"Yeah ..."

The stairwell beyond with the cylindrical tanks changed little as well. They still bubbled with their gold fluid almost ominously. Senel wondered, were the tanks for preserving people in stasis? Reno had been in one of these tanks, after all, although it was in the Fire Monument.

Senel and Shirley climbed up the stairs, and what they saw on the catwalk beyond made their jaws drop.

In one of the cylindrical tanks, filled with gold fluid, was Grune.

"Grune?"

Footsteps, and who to walk in their field of view but Hoseia Tempestas.

"Hoseia?" Senel screeched, otherwise speechless.

Hoseia blinked, obvious surprised to see Senel and Shirley. He looked back and forth between the pair and Grune in suspended animation.

Senel ran up to Hoseia, grabbed him by the lapels.

"What the hell did you do to her?! Is this why she's been missing the entire time? What's going on!?"

Hoseia calmly removed Senel's fists from his collar, adjusted his glasses. He spoke uncertainly, as if he, too, understood as little as Senel did.

"She came to me. She asked me if I could help restore her memory. The sacred eres of Nerifes had helped her remember bits and pieces, but she wanted me to amplify that so she would remember."

Hoseia turned to look at Grune in stasis, sleeping peacefully in the cylinder, just as she had when Senel and company found her slumbering in the Man-Eating Ruins.

"She's been sleeping for a long time now. I'm wondering if something's wrong."

Shirley walked up to Grune's cylinder on the catwalk. Senel reached after her, but Hoseia shook his head, stopping him. Shirley peered into the glass of the cylinder, her hands touching the glass. Closing her eyes, Shirley began to glow blue, calling upon the power of Nerifes, perhaps both Nerifes now that they both were calm.

"Shirley?" Senel asked, but unable to ask anything more. It seemed she was using the power of Nerifes to help restore Grune's lost memory.

The glow of light extended to Grune, but instead of the blue light that shrouded Shirley, Grune glowed with a leaf green aura. When she did, Hoseia's jaw dropped, as if he had just realized something. Suddenly, Grune's eyes snapped open, and her face wore a blank--or perhaps serious--expression.

"She's awake!" Hoseia said breathlessly, running to one of his computers set up near Grune's tank. As he typed ferociously on the glowing keypads, Senel could not tear his eyes off Grune.

Grune's eyes looked back and forth between Senel and Shirley, her eyes betraying that she had recognized them, but her face showing none of it.

The golden liquid of the tank drained away, and the glass opened, sheathed away. Moving slowly, Grune emerged from the tank. She should have been soaked through, having slept within a tank full of liquid, but she was completely dry.

"Grune?" Senel asked again, but Grune paid no heed. She stopped on the catwalk.

Hoseia threw himself before her, kneeling down on one knee, head bowed. Senel and Shirley stared at him, confused.

"Welcome back," Hoseia said, "Your Highness, Queen of the lands beneath the Green Moon."

--

Hikaru: Don't worry, the canon thing about Grune and Schwartz still applies!


	35. Queens of Old

Hikaru: I originally wanted thirty-five chapters, but I need one more before the epilogue, so we'll have thirty-six.

--

Senel blinked, staring at this strange sight: Hoseia Tempestas, one of the most brilliant minds of Old World Arcadia, a Yelite, and elemental possessing a Yellow Moon Crystal and its ultimate power, bowing before Grune, the airheaded and well-endowed woman found napping in the Man-Eating Ruins.

Hoseia kept his head bowed, eyes downcast.

Senel's throat was tight, his mouth dry. Hoseia, indomitable Hoseia, had just humbled himself, calling Grune a queen.

Queen of the lands beneath the Green Moon.

It hit Senel hard all at once. Grune's name, which meant "the green one," the color of the dress she chose to wear, and the leaf green glow of her eres ... and now that he looked on her in this new light, his Silvite's intuition burned, that this woman Grune indeed had the aura of an Old World Arcadian.

Now, Grune did not seem airheaded any longer. She looked, calm, composed. She even now had a regal bearing about her, something indeed royal within her.

"Q-queen? Of the ancient Arcadian Green Civilization? Is this true, Hoseia ... ?" Senel half-murmured, still quite in disbelief.

Hoseia still knelt, and Grune remained silent as she looked down on him.

"Her Majesty Queen Grune herself is the embodiment of the Green Moon, that which is brimming with life and fertility."

And where they stood now was the Earth Monument, the monument Grune had Hoseia use to restore her memory.

Shirley's eyes were wide, her mouth slack, still standing by the tank from which Grune had emerged.

"G-Grune? Have you gotten your memory back ... ?"

Grune turned, ignoring Hoseia, as if she noticed Shirley for the first time. The corners of her mouth twitched, as if she meant to smile but decided against it.

"Indeed I have, Merines. I now recall my purpose here on this planet."

Walking past the still bowing Hoseia, Grune approached Senel, her once warm blue eyes now cold, as if they were chips of winter tundra.

"You wonder about the black mist, correct? I know who it is that conjures it. As does Hoseia Tempestas."

At this Hoseia finally stood, his face grim behind those glasses. Shirley cautiously walked to Senel, never taking her eyes off Grune and Hoseia. Grune stood still as stone, looking at the Merines and Alliance Marine.

"My sworn enemy, the other side of the coin, the opposing face of life and vitality ... Schwartz, the Darkite Queen of the Dark Civilization of Old World Arcadia."

"Schwartz?" Senel repeated, the name sounding sharp and foreboding on his tongue. The name meant, "the dark one," and that, along with the black mist and undead monsters, was proof enough in itself.

"Yes," Hoseia said, his back still to Grune. "I suspected that since the Jadite Queen was here, and given the sheer similarity of the mist to dark Lunar magicks ... Schwartz must be here as well." Here his voice seemed to choke. "One of the reasons I was chosen to accompany Reno and Nievia into Soltis to stop the Silvites ... I learned who Her Majesties Grune and Schwartz actually--"

"Hoseia!" Grune said sharply, with the tone of a queen who simply must be obeyed. Hoseia ducked his head, but Senel noticed that his fists were shaking. Something of epic proportions was at hand.

Shirley quirked an eyebrow. "Who they actually ... ?"

Grune shook her head, walking down the steps toward the antechamber of the Earth Monument. She gestured for Senel and the others to follow.

"We must move, if we are to meet and do battle with Schwartz. Your allies' help is most welcome as well. Come."

But Senel and Shirley had not moved, staring fixedly at Hoseia, who had just now collapsed to his knees, pounding at his forehead with a closed fist.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit!" He cursed, tears beading at his eyes.

Shirley approached Hoseia carefully, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"A-are you all right?"

Hoseia banged his fist on the ground, the metal echoing the sound heartily.

"My name means 'savior' and yet ... I can't do anything! I couldn't save anyone then ... and I can't save anyone now! It's all up to _her, _and she's one of the reasons for the Old World's absolute destruction!"

He continued pounding away at the floor, eyes streaming with tears, frame wracked with sobs, yelling and cursing to his heart's content. Shirley gave Senel a questioning glance, what could be done to calm Hoseia?

Senel was quite unnerved at this sudden revealtion of who was traveling with them the entire time. An Old World Arcadian, and Queen of the Green Empire, at that! He always knew there was a nostalgic feeling about Grune and her aura ... but he never expected her to be a queen from his homeland!

Senel awkwardly clapped a hand on Hoseia's shoulder, and Hoseia froze, stopped his thrashing.

"C'mon, Hoseia. We've got to stop the black mist. Come or stay, it's your decision."

With that Senel gestured to Shirley, and she nodded, following him. As they walked down the staircase, following Grune out of the Earth Monument, Hoseia shouted.

"You can't trust her! It's because of her ... because of her ..."

--

Summoning the others wasn't hard. All Grune had to do was project a thought to them all to come to the Oresoren camp in the Quiet Lands, just as the Quiet Nerifes--Aqua Helnes--had called them to the lighthouse that brought them here.

In time they all had come from their Monuments, gathering about on the beach.

"The black mist ... My enemy Schwartz is the root cause of it all, and she must be eliminated to stop it completely."

Of course they would have no objections. Getting rid of the fell mist and the one who conjured it would benefit all, so there was little point in them refusing, so long as they didn't know one minor detail about Grune and Schwartz.

That elemental, Hoseia, would have ruined much--perhaps not everything, but much--had he spilled the beans on what he had learned about the two Arcadian queens.

Grune remembered well the life she spent in Old World Arcadia, reigning queen of the lands beneath the Green Moon. The capital of the Green Empire, the city of Rixis, was a grand one, built entirely of Green moonstone ore and marble found in the rich mountains of their continents.

Grune had lived in a grand palace, surveying over all from her lofty perch. Decked out in rich garb of the ruling Jadite--such as the gown she wore now, along with her jewelry and veil--Grune was admired by her subjects, for she indeed embodied the very element of the Green Moon, as Hoseia had said.

As such, she was a master of Green Lunar Magicks, a master healer. She remembered well how she had written books on healing and the green moonstone, how other healers came to her for advice on healing, and how she would heal supposedly incurable subjects.

Living the life of a mortal wasn't so bad, Grune supposed.

It had been Schwartz's idea--why not be a part of the blanket of mortal life, from the very fabric Grune herself wove into shape, and Schwartz cut the threads of when their time had come.

Why not, indeed.

Arcadia was a planet full of rich cultures and diversities that made up its unique identity. Being a part of that was the ultimate experience for Grune, even for she, the Weaver of Time, and Schwartz, the one who cut the threads.

The King of Spirits even granted Grune a boon--the ability to summon the Spirits subject to his rule even planets away, anywhere in the celestial sphere, a great gift indeed.

But even given her true identity, Grune had no experience in living as a mortal, let alone how to rule an entire civilization. She had fashioned herself as a young Jadite woman of royal blood, and thus from the Jadites themselves learned how to govern and rule. As Queen Grune frequented the Empire, visiting with her subjects and seeing with her own eyes how her hand affected their lives.

She began to forget her other life, her true identity, falling in love with life on Arcadia and seeing her subjects happy with her rule.

For once she had a concrete purpose in life ... she began to feel the emotions of mortals, began to live, to think like a mortal. To enjoy the life she had. Given, the mortals' lives passed her by so very quickly, and nobody ever thought to question why the Green Empire had the same Queen (or at least with the same name) for centuries, and why she had never married or produced heirs.

It was Schwartz who tired of the game and began to cut at the threads that wove Old Arcadia's tapestry.

Arcadian history would tell that it was the Dark Empire who began the series of world wars and instellar ones that would herald Old World Arcadia's downfall.

The Inter-Stellar War had disastrous consequences.

The sea, the beautiful sea not unlike the sea belonging to this planet, had drunk in the blood of so many Arcadians, Auldrantians, and Aselians as they battled in the skies, hovercrafts and airships carrying the Auldrantians and Aselians while Silvites flew in their ships and Azurites flew with their wings, their teriques.

During the course of the Mid-Sky Battle, the Silver Gigas Zelos and the Blue Gigas Bluheim came into forcible contact. The powers of the Blue Moon Crystal and Silver clashed, and Zelos's power over nothingness and therefore everything went berserk--

And the sea, the beautiful sea of Arcadia disappeared, and it was only by Zelos's power that the land still existed as it does today in Arcadia.

All the Empires had retreated for a long while, but world war stirred again when the Dark Empire deployed its Gigas, Niddhog, to attack the Violites of the Purple Empire. War sparked again as the Dark Gigas, the black dragon Niddhog fought against the titanic arcwhale Purple Gigas Plergoth in the skies of Arcadia.

Schwartz seemed to be taunting Grune into taking action, for the Green Empire had remained largely neutral in the past wars, with the main combatants of the wars being Silvites, Azurites, and Darkites.

Grune journeyed the whole of Arcadia in a series of diplomatic meetings promoting peace between the Seven Civilizations of Arcadia. Grune was known worldwide for her stand on peace and neutrality throughout the wars.

When it came time to meet Schwartz in the Darkite capital, Schwartz openly criticized her.

Why get so caught up in the life of a mortal, she would ask. Their time has come. It is time for me to cut the thread of this world and go survey the next.

But Grune had a firm stand. She learned what it is mortals go through, how fleeting, difficult, and fulfilling their lives were. Not all had happy endings, of course, but still--they fought with every drop of blood and sweat they had to live.

Grune before never thought much of it, but life was precious. As fragile as a single thread fresh from the spindle.

And to cut that thread of life so mercilessly without remorse or a single thought made Grune physically sick.

When the diplomatic journey ended--in failure--the Dark Empire initiated the final step of instigating the final Gigas War that would have the Silvites bring about the Rains of Destruction.

Queen Schwartz issued the order to give information to the Purple, Red, Yellow, and Green Empires about the Silvites' plan of destroying the Empires and escape the destruction. The elementals were chosen to infiltrate Soltis and eliminate their threat to the planet.

Grune had chosen not to respond to the summons.

However, the Yelites, Crimsites, and Violites had responded--sending their elementals to Soltis, unbeknownst to the trap Schwartz and the Silvites had set.

Schwartz herself had seen that a particular Yelite would be chosen, for he had somehow learned of the true origins of the queens of old.

Hoseia, Reno, and Nievia.

Their whole lives had already been drastically changed when they took within themselves the crystals of their Moons, but now their lives would be so utterly changed that revertion was impossible. Grune saw this in a vision courtesy of Schwartz as the Silvites captured the elementals and confined them in Monuments on the ship that was later to become the Legacy, in special chambers designed to make use of the power of their crystals.

Thunder for Hoseia, Fire for Reno, Ice for Nievia.

And of course--

Earth for Grune.

Schwartz had meant for Grune to be lured into this trap, or perhaps to show her what she viewed fragile mortal life as--game pieces merley for their amusment, the immortals who surveyed over all.

The Silvites had done their will--they had caused the Rains of Destruction using Zelos and sealed the rest of the Gigas, along with their crystals. Half of their number made for a new planet, the planet where the descendants of Azurites had already made their home, and the rest of the Silvites floating in space under the Silver Moon in the Great Silver Shrine, watching over Arcadia.

The Rains of Destruction were the worst thing Grune ever had seen.

Every Moon, beyond her power to control--for she only wove the fabric, held no absolute power over its pattern and how it unraveled--dropped titantic moonstones that rained on the lands beneath each of the Moons.

Rixis and the rest of the world crumbled around her even as she stood in the Rixis Palace, and she lost consciousness.

Grune awoke in the ruins of her Empire.

Even though she had been terribly battered, her limbs were still whole, and she herself was still alive.

For none could kill one without vanquishing the other.

That day, sitting in the ruins of her once grand civilization, Grune swore vengeance on Schwartz for her indifferent, cruel treatment of mortal life.

"Schwartz?" Will said, and Grune snapped out of her trance.

Grune nodded, the confusion still evident in her allies' faces.

"She is the Darkite Queen from Old World Arcadia, and I the Jadite Queen."

They need not know more than that.

"Darkite ..." Jay said quietly, and Grune understood, seeing how Jay, a Derines, was descended from Darkites. But Grune was glad for Jay; he showed none of that Darkite cruel killer nature that Schwartz had borne.

Grune continued as if Jay said nothing.

"Schwartz is the embodiment of Destruction, that is the ultimate power of the Dark Moon." For the Green and Dark Moons had been fashioned after their rulers. "Since this planet is the remains of Old World Arcadia, she seeks to destory it."

"But wait," Csaba said, the grip he held on his bow tightening, "what about New World Arcadia? It is the remains of its own Old World; why does she only do it here?"

The others nodded in agreement, and Grune mentally cursed.

"Do not ask me to fathom the mind of a killer, Csaba." Grune said coldly, and Csaba ducked his head, ashamed.

"G-Girl!" Norma exclaimed, and Grune stared at her. The memories of the time she spent with this group were very fresh, and it stung to have Norma--her fastest friend--look at her with such a pained expression.

"There is no time." Grune replied icily, rather reminiscient of Nievia, the ice elemental. "We must find Schwartz and vanquish her so that nothing of her nature can ever harm anything ever again."

Of course, things would begin and end even without the weaver of time and the cutter of the threads, but she wanted to let life be able to fight until its last breath, not swept under the rug without so much a second thought.

"How do we find such a person?" Senel asked, fists clenched with impatience.

"Wherever chaos, discord, unrest, disease, and hatred reign, you will find her."

Chloe nodded, arms folded across her chest. "Yes, and there is the black mist as well. We could try asking around where and when the last bout of black mist occurred."

Will looked to Jay.

"And we do have a Derines with us."

Grune nodded in confirmation, starting to walk toward the towering elevator.

"Then let us be on our way."

--

"No! No!"

Walter struggled to get to his feet, a thick stream of blood gushing down the side of his face. His fellow Ferines, members of the FelCyes, dropped like flies before the monsters, shrouded in black mist, stinking with festering wounds and decay.

Whisper Crystal in hand, Walter tried desperately to band his scattered force of automata, but the mist seeped into their shells and rendered them immobile, shutting down their systems within seconds.

The coral automata, one by one, fell into pieces, useless scraps of eres stone.

Bodies of FelCyes soldiers littered the ground like so much refuse. Walter staggered over a body, hoping the city's eres shields would hold. The FelCyes already were on patrol around the capital when a shroud of black mist descended around the city. Shields were raised, and Walter mustered the FelCyes to mount a defense.

It was failing.

Cold.

The black mist was heavy around him, and he called his teriques to him.

"Fel ... Ques ... Des!"

He made a weak throwing motion with his arm, but the teriques merely fluttered weakly before disappearing.

"N-no ..."

Walter coughed; the mist was suffocating him. Why wouldn't his teriques work? Was what Jay said true, that Walter would be Ferines and Derines all in one?

Perhaps that's why he tended to become so ... unstable.

"MelQues!"

The mist got thinner in an instant; Walter blinked. From the barrier protecting the capital emerged a woman emitting a golden light with sweeping long hair of the same hue.

Walter's breath hitched.

"Stella! You idiot; go back inside! If you die, the Merines ..."

Stella paid no heed, instead engaging a monster in battle. Walter, weak and fading fast, exhausted, could only watch as Stella fought.

But Walter slowly came to realize there was no reason for worry. Like he did, Stella channeled eres energy into her limbs, thus strengthening her hand-to-hand blows as she danced with the humanoid fiend.

Walter failed to supress a small smile.

He had taught her well.

Stella tripped the fiend with a low sweeping kick and she quickly chanted a crysal eres while it was down.

"O violent torrent--Splash!"

Gushes of seawater crashed down on the fell fiend. It thrashed in terrible death throes, but soon it stilled, dead. Walter fell to the ground, breathing heavily.

"Walter!?"

Stella rushed toward him, preparing perhaps to heal him. Coughing, Walter pushed her hand away.

"Get back ... inside. If you die, the Merines would be ... grieved." Never mind that Shirley already lost her beloved sister once.

Stella knelt beside him anyway, gathering eres energy to heal.

"Don't be silly," she said in a firm no-nonsense tone, "In fact, if I didn't help, Shirley would be ashamed of me. Now hold still."

His wounds ran red, but they slowly closed, the healing eres soothing as its caster worked.

But the coldness would not leave his body, and he knew what was coming.

The black mist crushed him.

"Walter? Walter!" Stella screamed.

--

A soothing voice.

Soft, quiet, gentle ... like a mother's voice.

"Ugh ... M-mother?" Walter whispered.

Then he felt infinitely silly. He _had_ no mother ... she either left or died shortly after Walter's birth, and his father never came forth to claim him.

That's why he had been raised a warrior from birth. It was the destiny of an illegitimate child--a bastard--to lead the FelCyes, to give his life for the greater cause of protecting the Merines as well as the whole Ferines tribe.

Surrounded by nothing but frigid, swirling dark mist ... Was this what it was like to be dead?

The voice again.

"Cease your struggle, child of man. Fall into the everlasting slumber of death."

Walter tried to move his limbs; it wasn't working.

"Wh-who are you ...? Why should I ... lie down and die?"

He opened his eyes, not without difficulty. Dark, swirling mist, cold to the touch. And a woman clad in an ebony gown, a black mask over her eyes, and a gold torque set with a blood red jewel glimmered at her throat. Her long ice-blue hair was bound into a pony tail, the trailing locks of hair braided.

The woman approached. She had a regal bearing, a sort of royal elegance about her. Her speech and tone were of one accustomed to being absolutely obeyed without question.

"All life suffers when it is born. The threads of life, woven into a cloth, unravel quickly."

Walter struggled to sit upright, staring at the woman, eyes smoldering.

"Really? Then mayhap the blanket of my life can yet serve to keep the Ferines warm for a little longer. For I do not intend to unravel just yet!"

The woman stood unflinching.

"... Schwartz."

Walter blinked. "Wh-what?"

"My name."

Walter flushed but said nothing more.

"How can you defend the Ferines," Schwartz said, approaching him, "if you cannot defend yourself? All your life you have been ostracized by the Ferines, for being a bastard, for bearing those black wings that represent an enemy of Nerifes."

Walter scowled, but did not deny it. It was true after all, that the Ferines treated him differently. They were scared of those demon wings he wore, and was even named for that singular quality.

"Why not simply surrender? Suffer you would no longer."

Walter struggled to get to his feet. Breathing heavily, he glared defiantly at Schwartz.

"Never will I surrender!" He roared. "If I should have no choice in life but to abide by the fate others have chosen for me, then let my choice to live rather than die be my only freedom!"

The mist seemed to thin a little, and Walter through he saw Stella running about the battlefield, calling his name, fighting off fiends and trying to help the injured and dying FelCyes. But she was only one. She could not save the army on her own.

Schwartz struck Walter down, and as he fell the vision of the world beyond disappeared. Walter lost sight of Stella's guiding light.

"Silence!" Schwartz thundered. "A mother would expect obedience from her son, and I expect no less from you, Walter Delques!"

Walter's mind went blank. He could not move, and dared not breathe for fear he might have misinterpreted Schwartz's words.

"Wh-what ..."

A blow came from the side, and Walter rolled across the floor from its force, groaning with the pain. Schwartz approached him, an ebony staff in hand, dark stones adorning its neck.

"No matter," she said, gathering energy about her undoubtedly for a spell, "After all, bad blood is bad blood. A bastard you were born, and a bastard you will die."

Walter could not move, try as he might. Gasping shallow breath, Walter did the only thing he could--closed his eyes and prayed.

--

The shroud of black mist was nigh impenetrable, no matter how many sea crystal eres or golden teriques Stella threw at it. What _was_ this dark curtain?

Panting, Stella tossed a teriques at the shroud. The gold light dissolved upon contact.

"No ..."

If she were still connected to the Legacy, she might have been able to penetrate the shroud with her teriques, just as she had stopped the second round of the Nerifes Cannon.

But such a display of power nearly killed her.

She swallowed a pineapple gel, hoping for the medicine to work quickly.

Drawing a deep breath, she concentrated.

"FelQuesMes!"

Hallowed Wings of Light.

The gold and black fought ferociously with one another--a rift opened in the shroud, a glimpse beyond the veil. There was Walter in the darkness, lying on the ground. He saw Stella, gasped, and lunged toward the opening in the veil of black mist.

"Stella!" Walter screeched, and she grabbed his outstretched arm. The opening in the mist was closing quickly, black tendrils of mist grabbed at Walter's body like spider-thin arms.

Stella cringed as she tried to pull Walter from his prison. By Nerifes! He was so cold. Walter's teriques bloomed at his shoulders and with their remaining power combined with Stella's pull as an anchor Walter escaped the claws of the mist.

Heaving for breath as he collapsed on the ground, Walter pointed at a coral duct--one of many in Ferines territory that had been sealed off as a measure of security.

"Stella," Walter murmured, "Open the duct. It opens with an eres verse," he coughed out the Relares in a nevertheless understandable jumble, "and find the Merines. Find _help."_

Walter fell limp on the ground, motionless.

But not lifeless.

"Okay," Stella whispered.

--

The girl called Stella had retained at least some of the outstanding power her synchronization with the Legacy had given her. Grune admired the girl for her gallantry. A gold teriques aura glowed around Walter, holding him, protecting him from the black mist that threatened to engulf him and so much else.

Grune stepped forward, addressing the mist.

"Schwartz."

The mist evaporated, revealing the woman wreaking such havoc on MelFes.

"Grune," she replied icily.

Stella and Shirley set to work at once by means of healing the defeated captain of the FelCyes.

Grune hated to keep the others in the dark about this matter, but it had to be done. Her leaf green aura came to her call, and the battle began.

--

Senel didn't know what was going on. All he knew was that Schwartz was the one responsible for the black mist, Schwartz was attacking, and he had to fight back.

It was confusing, utterly nothing but unadulterated chaos.

Will and Norma supported with their crystal eres (Stella and Shirley were still healing Walter), Senel attacked Schwartz with the melee support of Jay, Moses, and Chloe, the beasts backed them up, and Csaba was a great help with his vollies of arrows.

Schwartz, ever elusive as a snake, dodged every single attempt the party had made to harm her--all but Grune. As Grune wore Schwartz down, Senel found it easier to land more and more eres on the ancient Darkite queen, the others' attacks landing more hits as well.

Senel and the others froze when as a result of an eres strike (whose it was hard to tell), Schwartz's maske was torn from her face.

Or rather, _Grune's _face.

The whole battlefield stilled into hellish silence.

Senel was having trouble comprehending what the hell had just happened.

Schwartz and Grune _had the same face._

Her face--Grune's face--was battered, bruised and bloody. A soft smile came to her lips.

"Well done."

And she began to disintegrate, leaving nothing but black feathers in her wake.

--

It'd been a week since Grune's death.

The entire party was too stunned to move anywhere, so a very shaken Shirley offered to allow them to stay in the Ferines capital until they could cope well enough with this unexpected turn of events to return to their own homes.

Not that any Ferines could complain, especially Walter--to rid the world of Schwartz and her fell black mist made Senel's group heroes overnight.

Not that Senel felt anything like a hero of the sorts.

More like a murderer.

He had nightmares still, worse than the nightmares that used to plague him--of Shirley's transformation, of Stella's apparent death before, of the attack on the Ferines village three years ago.

Senel had trouble banishing from his mind the image of Schwartz's face, dark red blood streaming down her ivory skin, her eyes empty as she congratulated them on their victory. She had disappeared into nothingness, leaving only black feathers.

Shortly after Schwartz had died, Grune began to look transparent. At first everyone attributed it to eres exhaustion and the strain battling Schwartz had put on them--but when they ran up to Grune, they could see that she truly was disappearing.

Now Senel could make heads and tails of what she said at the time of her disappearance--at the time he was too distraught to do anything but gape.

Grune called herself the Weaver of Time, counterpart to Schwartz, the cutter of the threads when their time had come. Life and Death would go on as they would even without them, but they were immortals still with immense power. Goddesses, if you will.

Grune had said that the Great Nerifes, during the wars between Ferines and Orerines, was distraught at is own powerlessness, and desired release from its sad existence. That was when Schwartz had first begun to heed its call after the destruction of Old World Arcadia.

Shirley had been surprised. When she had spoken with Nerifes when they were searching for Grune, it had told her nothing about Schwartz's appearance. Grune had answered that with the peace treaties and cease in the Ferines-Orerines conflict, Nerifes had begun to hope.

And Grune had already made it her life's mission to rid the world of Schwartz once and for all.

But, being of the same coin, she could not banish one without vanquishing the other.

Mirroring Schwartz's death, Grune had disappeared, leaving nothing but white feathers in her wake.

_"I'm sorry."_


	36. Epilogue

Hikaru: Finally! Almost done. After like ... half a year and then some working, I'm finishing up. I'd like to thank all of you readers who enjoyed this and stayed on with me the whole time. It was a fun ride.

--

He just couldn't believe that the monkey had actually invited him to the Legacy--made him to be the one to come to her, the monkey couldn't just bring her lazy butt up to the mainland to meet him. Then again, her message said something about Sven's fool dream, the Everlight ... perhaps she meant only to apologize to him, that he was right the entire time.

Zamaran had lost one of his best friends to that fool search for that mythical thing, after all ... he didn't want to see anyone else throwing their lives away for a mirage, least of all someone so young with such a bright future.

So it was resolutely that Zamaran made the trip to the Legacy via ferry ship. His caretakers thought he would have something of a diffcult time with his blindness and advancing age, but Zamaran politely declined their company. He hadn't been blinded yesterday. He's been blind for a long time, and he'd gotten used to finding his way. His other senses had time to grow with the absence of sight.

Finding his way from Port-on-Rage to Werites Beacon hadn't been very hard, either. All he had to do was follow the footsteps of the other passengers on the ferry--Werites Beacon was the main destination of people headed to the Legacy. In fact, without passports, the Orerines territories were the only places Orerines could go without consent of the Ferines first.

The message said to meet Norma in the graveyard, where Sven slept peacefully. It was a fitting place to end the dream, after all. Perhaps it had finally gotten through to the monkey that it was best to let Sven rest.

Once he stood in the streets of Werites, the only problem remained--how to get to the graveyard?

He'd asked around, and two people were kind enough to help. Now youngsters taking time to help their elders around--Norma could learn something from them.

Zamaran knew Norma's voice well enough, even after the year or two after she ran from home. When he had left the mainland, her parents were distraught that she had deigned to write an older man like him but not her own parents. Of course it would cause them concern. So Zamaran promised them to tell the monkey to at least write them, to know she was all right.

"Hey, Zammy," Norma said in a cheerful tone, but Zamaran knew something was up. They had argued often about the Everlight and Sven's death, and Norma using her old nickname for Zamaran ... that meant something.

"Hmph," Zamaran began, trying to sound huffy, "You've made an old man travel halfway across the world to such a place ... perhaps you've finally seen reason and given up on that silly goose chase that killed Sven."

But Norma didn't fling her usual loud insults at him. Instead she said,

"Hold still, Zammy. Don't move."

Zamaran quirked an eyebrow in question, but held still as Norma said. Zamaran, as well as Sven, had known something of eres, albeit they were far from formidable erens. Around Norma--an accomplished crystal eren--was an energy that Zamaran had not sensed for a long time. The eres energy condensed around her, strengthening as if she held a catalyst--

Warmth. The feeling came into his body from the eres energy; he recognized it as a kind of healing eres. Did the monkey think she could ... make him see again? No, that was impossible, even the most potent of healing eres could not cure such a bad condition.

But slowly and surely, the numbness that his eyes had become receeded, faded away ... returned with feeling in full force. Zamaran's lip quivered in disbelief.

"... There. Open your eyes, Zammy."

Zamaran didn't want to at first, he didn't want to met with disappointment, least of all Norma's disappointment that her eres probably hadn't worked. But Zamaran remembered Sven's words when a trip in the Crystal Forest on the Legacy gone wrong had resulted in his blindness--

_"Don't worry, Zamaran! I'll find the Everlight, and then you'll see again!"_

Zamaran slowly opened his eyes. He squinted, not used to the light flooding his vision. His jaw dropped.

_Vision._

He could see. Blind he was no longer. Zamaran stared for a time before his mind registered the fact that Norma stood before him. He remembered what Norma looked like, but she was only thirteen or fourteen at the time. Now she was how old ... sixteen? Seventeen?

When his eyes fully adjusted to the wealth of sunlight, all he saw was a yellow golden blur. But he recognized it as Norma.

She yelled in triumphant victory, shoving a small blue stone under his nose.

"I told you I'd find it!"

--

Harriet didn't know what was up with that guy ... Will. He'd come back to Werites Beacon all sulky and depressed, and then all of a sudden he decided to drag her out in the middle of nowhere in a field of wildflowers in the dead of night. Her old feelings bubbled up again, that man certainly was acting ... weird. So far as she even might say unstable.

But seeing the field of flowers on a side of the Legacy overlooking the ocean, Harriet felt a pang of longing. She'd accidentally broken her hairpin, the crystal pink flower hairpin that her mother had given her. She touched the part of her hair where she'd worn it.

_It was Mom's favorite._

"Harriet." Will said, and she looked to him, distracted from her thoughts. He was pointing up.

"It's a full moon tonight. That flower seed you picked up ... was from here. Your mother and I loved this place."

Harriet huffed a little at the heartfelt mention of her mother. She had yet to see what right Will had to say such things about her mother. But she decided to watch anyway, arguing here wouldn't do anything.

Buds of countless flowers shuddered, the green leaves giving way to the gentle soft pink of the petals underneath. They unfurled, rather like wings, and the flowers in the moonlight began to glow. Clouds of lights, glittering red bits of iridescent pollen, filled the air.

It was beautiful.

Harriet looked to her father.

"The name ...?"

Will only smiled at her, and Harriet in an instant knew what her parents had named this rare flower found only on the Legacy.

--

Moses had noticed how restless Giet had become lately. Late night had fallen over the Forest of No Return, but Moses did not sleep, and neither did his grand galf. The campfires had died long ago, and the tamer and beast sat across from one another, eyeing the other warily.

Moses had heard tell of what must happen eventually between beast and tamer. Wild animals were wild, after all.

But, looking at the galf, remembering what they had been through together ... he refused to accept it.

Even if Giet would be the one to kill him in the end ... Moses knew he could never bring himself to strike against his most faithful and loyal friend.

"Moses?"

Moses and Giet broke their locked gazes and looked up. Csaba stood with Ven at his side. Both seemed to pick up the apprehension their leader and his beast found themselves wrapped up in lately.

Moses quirked a grin when he looked at his best buddy in the clan.

"What's up, Csaba?"

Csaba's mouth drew into a thin, almost flat line. Moses dropped his facade at once. Csaba had been with him the longest after Giet, and he knew Moses like the back of his own hand.

"I know what it is you're feeling right now." the archer said, and Ven nudged his arm gently.

Moses didn't answer, his gaze dropping to linger on his galf again. Giet looked on blankly. Csaba didn't stop talking.

"I ... we knew what we were getting into when we tamed our beasts. They in their hearts knew what must transpire eventually. It is ... the fate of a beast tamer. Old legends say a beast and its tamer betrayed their trust in one another ... and killed each other. That was the start of this cycle."

But Moses shook his head as he stared at Giet. He felt tears beginning to brim in his eyes, and he resolutely blinked them back.

"Giet and I ... never betrayed one another. Not once. Faithful to the end, even when we were complete strangers."

Csaba clenched his hands into tight fists. His knuckles were bleached white from the grip.

"Moses ... I didn't mean--"

Moses shook his head, no.

"I know, Csaba. What will come, will come. We'll get through it ..."

Csaba nodded, although he didn't relax his fists.

"... Together."

--

Jay used to hate this day. He'd made a point to forget about it altogether before, although the Oresoren never did.

"Happy birthday, Jay!"

Of course, being born on another planet, nobody knew the exact date of Jay's actual birthday, but they celebrated the MelFes equivalent that Solon had designated--one of many reasons that Jay hated celebrating his "birthday."

"Thank you, everyone."

The Oresoren, as many as could fit into Jay's house, bounced around as they partied for their guest of honor. Jay sat back and surveyed it all, a bit of his birthday cake still on his plate. He ... liked celebrating his birthday this year. This time, there was none of the old fear that Solon might creep his way back into his life, nothing at all that would have Jay give in to that old, rotten fear.

Jay glanced to a corner of the room that wasn't awash with frolicking Oresoren. Atrunae surveyed the scene, his pointed ears perked in the most peculiar way. His tail flicked back and forth nervously. Obviously in his existence as Jay's family's guardian the shadow galf had never seen such a sight.

Pippo and Mippo were playing music, Pippo with his harp, his soon-to-be wife playing happily at a piano. Poppo was performing maintanence on a miniature music box, and Quppo ran up to Jay, a small wrapped package in his paws.

"Here, Jay. It's from all of us. Open it!"

Smiling, Jay took the tiny package, carefully unwrapped it--inside was a golden locket. He opened it, and inside was a picture of himself ... with the Oresoren. He was smiling in the photograph; it was one of the first smiles they'd been able to coax out of Jay.

Tears came to Jay's eyes, and the memories of those awful years with Solon disappeared in a misty haze.

He had a family.

--

No matter how many times Chloe walked along that beach, she never tired of gazing out at the sea, shining brilliant blue. She could hardly believe that the sea could be so calm.

Chloe stopped walking when a harsh sound reached her ears, a sound she knew so very well--the sound of a metal blade slashing through flesh. The cry of a young girl pierced her ears, and she was hit full force with the memory of the day her parents were murdered.

Without thinking, she drew her sword, running toward the sound of the combat, if only she could save the girl.

She saw the first monster ahead, a galf. Its fur coloring reminded her painfully of Giet, but she noticed that the galf had no socks whereas Giet did. Besides, the galf would never stray from its tamer's side. She sliced through it with a Demon Fang, and began to assault the next monster.

When the humanoid lizard fell, she turned around on a pivot--and her jaw dropped.

Beside the young girl she'd heard scream earlier--the girl was on her knees, coughing terribly as if from an illness--was a man. The man was built well, and wielded a heavy two-handed sword expertly. After he threw a few iron eres at the remaining monsters, Chloe could only gape.

That stance ... that sword ... those eres ... !

When the man did away with the final monster, he dropped to his knees to aid the young girl, and twined on his forearm was a tattoo of a snake.

Chloe made to charge at the man.

"D-daddy ..."

She stopped, her sword hovering inches above the ground, golden eyes wide in disbelief. The way the girl clung to the man, cried at the pain she was so obviously feeling, cut Chloe deep. The two of them didn't notice the knight who aided them.

"Daddy--" The girl said again as the man handed her a small vial, and she downed the contents. Her coughing fit seemed to ease, if not go away completely.

"There, Elsa, take it easy." The man said again, helping his daughter to stand. "There might be more herbs I can use in Werites Beacon. The apothecaries there might know me."

Chloe stood, shocked. Her sword fell from her limp hand with a dull thump in the sand of the beach. A daughter. A sick daughter.

He had a daughter.

Right now she had the opportunity to avenge her dead parents, to avenge herself for his unforgivable crime--but if she did manage to strike him down, his daughter would ... his daughter would ...

_Be just like me._

Senel's words echoed in her ears.

_Hatred breeds only hatred._

The swordsman helped his daughter to walk, and they continued down the road toward Werites Beacon.

Standing there on the beach, with the calm sea at her back, the ocean breeze ruffling her cloak, Chloe picked up her sword.

And let them go.

--

Shirley stood at the lone gravestone in the courtyard, the remains of an automata scattered at the headstone.

_Fenimore ..._

She knelt at the grave, brushed dirt off the Relares engraving of Fenimore's true name.

"I met your sister a while ago. Thyra. She looked ... just like you."

Of course they looked exactly alike. Twin sister, Fenimore had said. She had a twin sister that managed to save herself from the tragedy that had befallen her village.

Thyra hated Shirley. She saw Fenimore's sacrifice just as if Shirley had killed her herself. Thyra was identical to Fenimore in every way physical--her features, her hairstyle, her dress, her voice. It had been so hard to hear Thyra scream and declare her eternal hatred for the Merines for the murder of her sister. The sister that Shirley, too, had loved like a sibling.

"I tried talking to her." Shirley said, her voice small. "She's stubborn like you. But ... that's what I liked about you."

Shirley tried talking to Thyra, to try and console her for her loss at least, if not to stop Thyra hating her or even blaming her. But Thyra would have none of it. Sure, Shirley knew what it was like to have lost her sister ... only to have said supposedly dead sibling turn up mere weeks later alive and well. Fenimore was quite dead when she perished on the Altar of the Sea.

"It's ... all right." Shirley continued, and she could almost see Fenimore looking back at her. "She does have every right to hate me if she wants. The only thing I can do to make up for it ... is to lead our people. To the very best of my ability."

To make sure something of that nature never happened again.

--

To say Senel was a little nervous was an understatement. Despite how calm it was now, it was hard for Senel to believe that Nerifes might truly wish for coexistence. This would be the ultimate test--a Ferines and Orerines performing the Rite of Feriyen together.

The rest of the Ferines had been ever so uneasy about it as well, but since it had been Senel's little warband that helped save them from the clutches of the black mist, they didn't object. In fact, they were very helpful in preparing Senel and Stella for their performance.

Walter in particular was downright scaring Senel. He wasn't acting in any regard, but neither did he go overboard with it. As Senel had wanted to follow Ferines tradition although he wasn't of their tribe, Walter had volunteered--to make sure Senel didn't go screwing it up, he said.

Senel was secretly grateful for Walter's assistance.

The Rite could be performed in any body of water, but as Nerifes was the will of the sea, it was best to find a spot to do it in the actual ocean.

In Senel's room, Walter helped him pick out an outfit--one didn't go just pick out an outfit of Ferines make. There were certain rules for certain age groups of people as to what kind of fabric to wear, what colors according to age and status, so on and so forth. Since Senel was in fact marrying into the royal family of the Merines, he was permitted to wear royal colors--the deepest blues, the darkest greens, and brightest white and gold. Only the Merines could wear her ensemble with black.

Walter helped Senel put on the clothing; it was more complicated than it looked. The last article of clothing to be put on was a cloak of moderate length like Walter's, clasped with a deep sea blue-green jewel at one shoulder. Off the circular jewel was the red tassel.

"There," Walter said with satisfaction at having dressed up Senel, "now for the finishing touch, and you'll at last be presentable."

Presentable--of course, part of the Rite was an indirect way of consulting Nerifes itself about the proposed marriage. And Nerifes, having the supernatural ability to see into all, would be able to decide if the two people would be right in marrying one another. After all, marrying the right person accounts for much of one's happiness and misery.

Thusly, being "presentable" to Nerifes, the will of the sea, was paramount if Senel ever planned to successfully integrate into Ferines society. Sure, he might have a place at Werites Beacon, but he'd prefer to work with Stella and Shirley towards complete co-existence, if not peace, between Ferines and Orerines. Marriage between a Ferines and Orerines on its own could be an effective bridge.

He could always visit with his friends. No doubt all of them had other aspects of their lives to pick up on--Will's estranged relationship with Harriet, Norma's family now that she found the Everlight, Moses and Csaba's clan, Chloe's decision about Stingle, Jay's life with the Oresoren, and Shirley and Stella's lives within the Ferines society.

Senel frowned as Walter fussed over little aspects of his suit--thinking of the others made him think of Grune. It'd been weeks since her death, and it'd been hard to cope ... but ultimately Grune sacrificed herself so that everyone on this world could live their lives. She'd given them the opportunity to live like this.

"Right," Walter said, snapping Senel out of his musings. "Let's go. Stella should be ... ready by now."

Walter made to stalk out of the room, but Senel called him, and he stopped, turning slightly on his heel to quirk an eyebrow at Senel.

"Thanks." Senel said.

A slight blush appeared on Walter's face, but he shrugged off Senel's words as if it were nothing. And to him, it probably did mean nothing.

But it was a start.

Choosing the location of the Rite of Feriyen was a bit of a challenge. Raging Bay seemed like a prime location, but in order to safely execute it they'd have to stop all traffic going in and out of the bay, something that wouldn't sit well with the sailors and travelers. A random location just off the sides of the Legacy didn't seem well, either ...

In the end it was Shirley who chose the location. As the Merines and the sister of the woman performing the rite, she had every right to.

The Mirage Palace was a stunningly beautiful location to hold a Rite of Feriyen, not just one of royal proportions. The chamber of the palace chosen to host the rite was the entrance hall, an impossibly spacious room filled with seawater. There were pillars and platforms of coral and it was on these supports the people witnessing the rite stood.

The water glimmered where the sunlight shone in golden beams.

Senel and Stella stood together on the highest platform, facing the water, holding hands. They were waiting for the other to go first. It was perfectly acceptable for either one of the couple to dive first, but Senel didn't know if Stella wanted to go first or if he should ...

The choice was made for him when Stella gently took her hand from his. He assumed that she would dive first, but what he didn't expect was for Stella to single-handedly push him off the pillar.

Senel didn't have time to think; he subconsciously formed what would have been a disgraceful fall into a dive and he held a breath when he broke the surface of the seawater. Once under he swam, striving to go deep enough to allow Stella room when she dove. He whirled around, treading water, looking up through the surface.

Stella waved good-naturedly from her loftly perch and Senel irritably scowled. He didn't need to pushed ... although he did know that if he took any sort of initiative it probably would have taken much longer than it would have needed to.

Stella leapt from her perch, arms spread out in an elegant swan dive.

The two tread underwater for a time, eyes locked. Senel could have stayed like he was for hours, but being a non-Ferines, he could not breathe underwater and thusly the ceremony needed to move onward.

They swam toward one another at a leisurely pace and when they came close enough, locked in an embrace.

Senel buried his face in Stella's golden hair, eyes squeezed shut, his heart beating frantically. What if ... Nerifes rejected their union? What if ... they couldn't be together after that? He pushed his doubts from his mind. He had chosen this life years ago, and he would follow it through no matter the obstacles.

Tentatively Senel opened his eyes, and he would have gasped if he were aground.

The sea ... was glowing!

The sea ... was giving them its blessing ...

It really was okay for Ferines and Orerines ... for Senel, Stella, and Shirley ... to be together again.

They pulled out of their embrace, and shared a single kiss before swimming up to the surface, to the loud cheers of Shirley and the others.

_Everything will be all right._

--

Hoseia heaved a sigh, looking at the sea. From their perch on the Crags the elementals surveyed. The sea really was calm.

"So, Hoseia," Reno piped from beside Nievia, the wind ruffling their hair and clothes, "what're you going to do? We couldn't go home ..."

Hoseia sighed, adjusting his glasses.

"The only thing we can do ... is find a new life here. To keep moving on After all..."

_You can't go forward if you keep looking back._


End file.
